Minnesota Timberwolves vs Oklahoma City Thunder: Match Preview and Predictions - 6th December 2019
Match Details
Fixture: Minnesota Timberwolves vs Oklahoma City
Date & Time: Friday, 6 December 2019 (8:00 PM ET)
Venue: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
Last Game Results
Minnesota Timberwolves (10-10): 114-121 loss to Dallas Mavericks (4 December, Wednesday)
Oklahoma City Thunder (8-12): 100-108 loss to Indiana Pacers (4 December, Wednesday)
Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
Having lost the first matchup of their four game road trip, the Minnesota Timberwolves find themselves at the cusp of a mid-season breakdown. They have now lost six of their last ten and sit at the 7th spot on the West standings with a 0.500 win-loss percentage. Minnesota are shooting at an unimpressive 42% from the field as a team while also struggling to make a third of their attempted three-pointers this year so far. Amongst the top 5 teams in the league in terms of pace, the T-Wolves have been failing to get consistent buckets when they run.
Key Player - Karl-Anthony Towns
Currently placed amongst the top 10 scorers as well as rebounders in the league, Karl-Anthony Towns is on a mission. The 24-year-old has been a fitting choice by the front office to be the face of the franchise, as he continues to best his career-highs with numbers like 25.9 points and 12.3 rebounds per game this year so far. Moreover, the 2-time All-Star is attempting around 8.7 three-pointers per matchup, and shooting at an impressive 43% clip. His inside-outside presence is making it harder to defenses to contain him on a nightly basis, as he builds upon another great start to his season.
Timberwolves Predicted Lineup
Robert Covington, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Okogie, Jarrett Culver, Andrew Wiggins
Oklahoma City Thunder Preview
The Oklahoma City Thunder are missing Hamidou Diallo (Elbow) and Andre Roberson (knee), while their newest addition in Chris Paul is working his way into the system. Despite what looked like a decent scoring roster, OKC have fallen short of expectations from their wins column. After their latest loss, the new-look Thunder side find themselves down at the 10th spot with an 8-12 record, 10 games behind the Conference-leading Los Angeles Lakers. Oklahoma are one of the worst rebounding teams in the league at the moment and nobody on their lineup is averaging over the 20 point mark.
Key Player - Danilo Gallinari
Danilo Gallinari's three-point shooting has been a cause of concern for teams that have tried to overcome the Thunder. His smooth perimeter jumper has been falling at a near-career-high 43% rate across the 20 games played so far. The 11-year veteran is dropping a team-high 18.5 points per game, to go along with 5.6 rebounds and a lights out 92% shooting from the free-throw line. Moreover, he is shooting 45% from the field and while doing so, is committing just 1.3 turnovers per contest.
Thunder Predicted Lineup
Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Steven Adams, Chris Paul, Terrence Ferguson
Timberwolves vs Thunder Match Prediction
The Timberwolves has just been handed a couple of deflating losses by the Grizzlies and Mavericks as they head on the road for three more clashes. Chesapeake Arena is not the place to be when your team is trying to figure it out. The Thunder will pull through for a much-needed win.
Where to Watch Timberwolves vs Thunder?
There will be local coverage of the game on Fox Sports Oklahoma and Fox Sports North from 8:00 PM (ET). You can also live stream the game via NBA League Pass.