Minnesota Timberwolves vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction & Match Preview - February 28th, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22

The visiting Minnesota Timberwolves will have a rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. [Photo: Star Tribune]

The Minnesota Timberwolves will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time this season on Monday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Timberwolves will be looking to win the rematch and split their season series to one win apeice.

The likes of Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards were the first to come up against the newly-formed duo of Joel Embiid and James Harden. The Minnesota Timberwolves' "Big 3" had no answer for the Philadelphia 76ers’ All-Star tandem, getting smoked by the Sixers 133-102.

The Timberwolves will face another emerging team in the East that beat them in their first matchup this season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a three-game losing streak with a gritty win against the Washington Wizards. Cleveland’s backcourt is decimated with injuries and will continue to miss the services of Darius Garland, Caris LeVert and Rajon Rondo. Collin Sexton was also injured earlier this season and will be sidelined until the next campaign.

Double the Tower City trouble.

Last night marked @_bigjayy_'s 31st double-double of the season (career-high) and @evanmobley's 14th (most by a Cavs rookie since 2002-03) #LetEmKnow https://t.co/MBg5EK3SqX

The unheralded Bandon Godwin did a decent job of manning the backcourt to help the Cleveland Cavaliers’ imposing frontcourt. Godwin’s eight points and six assists were more crucial than they appear. His performances have been badly-needed without the playmaking exploits and all-round composure of their usual backcourt.

Match Details

Fixture: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | 2021-22 NBA season

Date & Time: Monday, February 28th; 7:00 PM ET (Tuesday, March 1st; 5:30 AM IST)

Venue: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH

Minnesota Timberwolves Preview

Enter captionEnter captionEnter captionThe Minnesota Timberwolves are looking to secure a playoff spot with more than 20 games left on their schedule. [Photo: Canis Hoopus]

The Minnesota Timberwolves are 6-4 in their last 10 games. They own a 32-29 record and are seventh in the West with still about 20 games to go. They are only four games behind reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets for the coveted sixth spot, which would see them avoid the play-in tournament.

Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell arguably played their best game of the season in beating Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies. They followed it up, however, with a defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers, who debuted the Joel Embiid-James Harden partnership.

If the Minnesota Timberwolves can consistently play solid as a unit for 48 minutes on both ends of the floor, they should still be able to climb the West rankings. They are the favorites versus the undermanned Cavaliers on Monday.

Key Player - Karl-Anthony Towns

The versatile big man, who boldly proclaimed himself as the best big man shooter ever, will be a key factor for the Minnesota Timberwolves against the visiting Cavs. Towns provided several crucial plays in the win against the Grizzlies but was a dud against the stellar play of current MVP-favorite Joel Embiid.

Towns’ importance is evident all over the court as he anchors the Minnesota Timberwolves on offense and defense. The Timberwolves were back on their heels for most of the game against the Sixers when he failed to impose his presence inside.

Karl-Anthony Towns is the first center to win the 3-point contest. https://t.co/8zwEk11d2v

The Minnesota Timberwolves big man will have another tough task at hand against the imposing frontline of Evan Mobley and All-Star Jarrett Allen.

Minnesota Timberwolves Predicted Lineup

G - D’Angelo Russell | G - Patrick Beverley | F - Anthony Edwards | F - Jarred Vanderbilt | C - Karl-Anthony Towns

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Cleveland Cavaliers Preview

The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to defy expectations in the 2021-22 NBA season. [Photo: IndyStar]

The Cleveland Cavaliers seemingly can’t catch a break this season. They lost Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio (the latter has since been traded) earlier in the season and added Rajon Rondo and Caris LeVert as reinforcements. Not only are Rondo and LeVert sidelined with injuries, but they have also missed Darius Garland to a nagging sore back.

Despite the decimated backcourt, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been fighting through adversity. Brandon Goodwin had a horrible night's shooting against the Washington Wizards (with a field-goal percentage of 18.2) but made up for it with heady plays. Just how long Goodwin can sustain his form could greatly affect the last 20 games or so for the surprise team in the NBA.

Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen will have more on their plates trying to put up points and anchor the Cleveland Cavaliers’ defense.

Key Player - Evan Mobley

Evan Mobley is arguably the biggest reason why the Cleveland Cavaliers have surprised the NBA this season. The first-year sensation is the leading contender for the Rookie of the Year award, and for good reason. He is averaging 14.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 blocks per contest. The numbers are quite impressive for a rookie.

Mobley’s raw stats aren’t the only reason why he is a key figure for the Cleveland Cavaliers. His versatility on both sides of the ball makes Cleveland such a tough team to plan for. Mobley has allowed head coach J.B. Bickerstaff to adapt his lineup based on opponent-specific game plans and personnel matchups.

EVAN MOBLEY IS LIKE THAT❗️

Halfcourt shot to win the #TacoBellSkills Challenge https://t.co/6g46ZwcpSK

Karl-Anthony Towns’ dynamic inside-out game is a tough cover for almost anyone in the NBA. Evan Mobley, however, is exactly the type of player who can go toe-to-toe with Towns every step of the way.

Cleveland Cavaliers Predicted Lineup

G - Brandon Goodwin | G - Isaac Okoro | F - Lauri Markkanen | F - Evan Mobley | C - Jarrett Allen

Timberwolves vs Cavaliers Match Prediction

The Minnesota Timberwolves are the healthier and more complete outfit between the teams. Two-way player Brandon Goodwin could have a long night against disruptive veteran Patrick Beverley, which could be problematic due to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ makeshift backcourt.

Minnesota are in a good position and could possibly edge Cleveland and even their 2021-22 season series.

Where to watch the Timberwolves vs Cavaliers game

NBA League Pass will stream this game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Cleveland Cavaliers live. Local coverage of the matchup is available via Bally Sports Ohio and Bally Sports North.

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