Two last-place teams are set to square off in Minnesota on Wednesday night when the Timberwolves host the Memphis Grizzlies. Both the Timberwolves and Grizzlies have been struggling to win games of late, but this is a great opportunity for each team. Memphis earned a 100-87 victory over Minnesota earlier this season.
After getting back to the .500 mark this season, the Timberwolves have lost two straight games. Minnesota comes into this game with a record of 24-26 and is in last place in the Northwest Division standings. Memphis has struggled all season long and recently went through an eight-game losing streak. The Grizzlies bring a 20-31 record into this game and are in last place in the Southwest Division. Minnesota is -6.5 in this matchup against the Grizzlies.
Timberwolves Battling Through Injuries
Injuries have plagued the Timberwolves all season long, and their backcourt is extremely banged up. Point guards Jeff Teague and Derrick Rose are both currently out for the Wolves but are listed as day to day. The Minnesota offense has struggled without their floor generals, but they are still right at league average with 111.7 points per game. The Timberwolves have struggled on defense for much of the season, giving up 111.6 points per contest.
The Timberwolves have plenty of work to do to improve their roster going forward, but they have a star in Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns is having a monster season, averaging 22.8 points and 12.2 rebounds per game, and has the ability to take over a game. Minnesota has also gotten great contributions from Andrew Wiggins this season. The former number 1 overall pick is scoring better than 18 points per game while shooting over 40 percent from the field. The Timberwolves have some nice pieces, but they need more depth.
Grizzlies Can’t Find Any Offense
The Memphis Grizzlies excel on one end of the floor but are the worst team in the NBA on the other. The Grizzlies are the lowest scoring team in the NBA so far this season, scoring just over 100 points per game. They have been able to stay in most games with their defense, giving up just shy of 104 points per night, but they have to find a way to score points. The Grizzlies are a veteran team, but a few of these veterans might be playing their last games in Memphis.
Mike Conley Jr. and Marc Gasol have been the leaders in Memphis for a long time, but the team is looking to trade them before the trade deadline. Conley is averaging 20.1 points and 6.3 assists per game this season, and would significantly improve any playoff contender. Gasol has scored 15.7 points and grabbed 8.7 rebounds a night, and is still a very good big man in the NBA. Conley and Gasol are about all the Grizzlies have, and trading them would put an end to their season.
Memphis Competes, Minnesota Wins
Don’t expect much scoring in this game as neither one of these teams can light up the scoreboard. The Grizzlies have taken a huge step backward this season, and life on the road has been awful. Minnesota isn’t exactly a top NBA team, but they should be good enough to beat Memphis at home. Bet the Timberwolves -6.5 over the Memphis Grizzlies.
