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The Minnesota Timberwolves look set to host the Denver Nuggets at Target Center for a regular-season game on Saturday, October 30th.
The MInnesota Timberwolves are coming off a solid 113-108 win against the defending champions, the Milwaukee Bucks. As the Timberwolves trio of Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell continue to perform, the Timberwolves look like a solid side early in the season.
The Denver Nuggets are coming off an emphatic 106-75 win against the Dallas Mavericks. With a 3-2 record to start their 2021-22 season, the Nuggets will look to build upon this win against the Timberwolves.
Match Details
Fixture - Denver Nuggets vs Minnesota Timberwolves | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time - Saturday, October 20th, 2021; 9:00 PM ET (Sunday, October 31st, 2021; 6:30 AM IST)
Venue - Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Denver Nuggets Preview
The Denver Nuggets enjoyed a great win against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. They enter this double-header against the Minnesota Timberwolves with concerns that need to be addressed.
The Nuggets have one of the best frontcourts in the Western Conference. Led by Nikola Jokic alongside Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr., the Denver Nuggets have a great inside-outside presence as well as defensive upside.
But Denver has been a wildly inconsistent team to start the season. With a 3-2 record, the Nuggets have had great games. One example is their first game win against the Phoenix Suns. They have also had some head scratching losses, such as the one against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Hoping Friday night's win could be a turning point for the side, the team will look to their roster to provide balanced scoring and defense as they head into this matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Key Player - Nikola Jokic
There is no doubt about who the key player for the Denver Nuggets is. Nikola Jokic is the reigning MVP and one of the most skilled players in the NBA.
With Denver's offense based around the Serbian big-man, the Nuggets look to continue their formula of being a team that utilizes players who can cut and dive to the rim.
From the top of the key, Jokic is a highly effective playmaker who facilitates the Denver Nuggets offense. Also a scoring threat from the perimeter, he stretches the floor and opens up the paint for teammates.
Jokic has a polished offensive game featuring his signature one-legged fadeaway, termed the "Sombor Shuffle." The shot allowed him to create space and shoot over defenders, virtually taking an uncontested jumper owing to his size.
Although he isn't a solid defensive presence, Jokic's high IQ and smarts will be important while playing matched up against an athletic big such as Karl-Anthony Towns. Establishing himself on the rebounding glass will also be key in ensuring Denver's success.
Denver Nuggets Predicted Lineup
G - Monte Morris | G - Will Barton | F - Aaron Gordon | F - Michael Porter Jr. | C - Nikola Jokic
Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
The Minnesota Timberwolves have enjoyed a solid start to their 2021-22 campaign. With a 3-1 record, the Timberwolves have played with newfound intensity as they aim to establish themselves as a competitive side in the Western Conference.
Behind the trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell, the Minnesota Timberwolves have found a solid young core for the future. With all three scoring over 25 points in the win against the Milwaukee Bucks, the team has a lot of potential.
Additionally, the team has also seen the development of their overall rotations. Jaden McDaniels and Jarred Vanderbilt have grown into their starting roles for the side.
With the addition of Patrick Beverley, the team has added a player with serious intensity and leadership qualities off the bench and in the locker room. His hustle will play a huge role in ensuring the success of the side.
The development of Naz Reid and Malik Beasley also promises some reliability off the bench for the side.
Key Player - Karl-Anthony Towns
A huge reason for the Minnesota Timberwolves' early-season success has been the dominance of Karl-Anthony Towns.
Karl-Anthony Towns is an All-Star caliber player who has underperformed over the course of the last few seasons. Although his vast skillset allows him to perform every night, his intensity issues and lack of awareness on the defensive end often made him a liability.
However, this season, the assertiveness shown by Karl-Anthony Towns in each game has been inspiring for the side. With an average of 28.0 points in the season so far, KAT has had multiple 30+ point performances for the side.
Karl-Anthony Towns will have to hold his ground against Nikola Jokic in this matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
Minnesota Timberwolves Predicted Lineup
G - D'Angelo Russell | G - Anthony Edwards | F - Jaden McDaniels | F - Jarren Vanderbilt | C - Karl-Anthony Towns
Nuggets vs Timberwolves Match Prediction
The Minnesota Timberwolves are likely to win this matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
Facing the Timberwolves on the second night of a back-to-back away game, the Nuggets side may have to deal with fatigue issues. The form that the Minnesota Timberwolves are in also gives them the upper hand.
However, given that the win over Dallas was an easy one for Denver and none of their starters played more than 30 minutes, the game could feature an interesting turn of events.
Where to watch Nuggets vs Timberwolves game?
The Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game will be locally broadcast on Bally Sports North. It will also be available on the NBA's League Pass platform. Fans can also tune into the game on 830 WCCO on radio.
