Minnesota Timberwolves vs Washington Wizards Preview and Match Prediction - February 27th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
Week 10 of NBA action continues as the Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Capital to take on the Washington Wizards on Saturday. This is the second time these two teams are locking horns in NBA 2020-21. They met each other at the beginning of the season when Bradley Beal's 31-point performance led the Wizards to a 29-point victory.
Match Details
Fixture: Minnesota Timberwolves vs Washington Wizards | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Saturday, February 27th; 7:00 PM ET (Sunday, February 28th; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Washington Wizards Preview
The Washington Wizards are on a hot streak of late. After several disappointing losses in the season, they finally appear to have settled down and are now taking on tougher teams with ferocity. The Washington Wizards have won six of their past seven games. Having toppled superior opponents like the Lakers, Celtics, Nuggets, and Blazers in the past week, the Wizards are now high on confidence.
The players are now making far better decisions with the ball. The backcourt duo of Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook are flourishing in DC. Although the Wizards are missing several players from their lineup, the collective effort of the team has fetched them wins.
Key Player - Russell Westbrook
Although Bradley Beal is the Washington Wizards' primary and leading scorer, the team's victories wouldn't have been possible without the exploits of Russell Westbrook. The nine-time NBA All-Star is averaging a near triple-double this season, at 19.7 points, 9.7 assists, and 9.7 rebounds per game.
The Wizards can't afford a bad outing from Westbrook and his performances on a nightly basis determine the fate of the Wizards' games.
Washington Wizards Predicted Lineup
G - Russell Westbrook, G - Bradley Beal, F - Garrison Mathews, F - Rui Hachimura, C - Moritz Wagner
Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
Even though Karl-Anthony Towns has been reintroduced into the Minnesota Timberwolves lineup, it appears to be too late for any impact on their season. Several analysts believe they now need to focus on high picks in the upcoming draft. The Timberwolves have the worst record in the league at 7-26 and their season's outcome seems like a foregone conclusion.
Nevertheless, many positives can be drawn from their subpar campaign. Their rookie Anthony Edwards has put up stellar performances this season. The young players in the lineup like Jaden McDaniels, Jarred Vanderbilt, Josh Okogie, and Naz Reid are developing at a great pace.
Key Player - Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards has impressed with his dunking and finishing ability. His outside shot is improving drastically as well. Edwards is now already an early candidate for the Rookie of the Year award. He was recently inserted into the starting lineup as a small forward and has been averaging great numbers ever since.
Minnesota Timberwolves Predicted Lineup
G Ricky Rubio, G Malik Beasley, F Anthony Edwards, F Jarred Vanderbilt, C Karl-Anthony Towns
Timberwolves vs Wizards Match Prediction
The Washington Wizards' record and current form make them the clear favorites to win this game. Their stars Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook are in great shape right now.
However, the Wizards have lost games to inferior opponents and they need to be extra careful to not let this easy victory slip out of their hands. The Minnesota Timberwolves finally have their best player, Karl-Anthony Towns back and hence they shouldn't be counted out completely.
Where to watch Timberwolves vs Wizards?
The Minnesota Timberwolves vs Washington Wizards game will be broadcast locally on NBC Sports Washington and FOX Sports North in the US. The game can also be live-streamed on the NBA League Pass.
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