Minnesota Timberwolves vs Golden State Warriors Prediction: Combined starting 5 featuring Stephen Curry and D'Angelo Russell

Will Golden State Warriors get back to winning after 2 straight defeats?
Will Golden State Warriors get back to winning after 2 straight defeats?

The 8-8 Golden State Warriors will host the Minnesota Timberwolves at Chase Center on Monday. While the Warriors are still looking to find some consistency in the 2020-21 NBA season, the Timberwolves have had a rough start due to injuries, health and safety protocols and their inability to close out games.

Combined starting 5 featuring Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors players

Despite Stephen Curry's decent performances in the 2020-21 NBA season, the Golden State Warriors have been largely inconsistent. Even Curry has had some rough nights, and the team has suffered some blowouts. Recently, they fell against the Utah Jazz by 19 points.

The Warriors have not been great on both sides of the floor. They rank 24th on offensive rating and 17th on defensive rating. Their net rating (-3.5) ranks 24th in the NBA. They have lost eight games, and six were double-digit defeats.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, on the other hand, currently have the worst record in the NBA's Western Conference (4-11), with their circumstances far from ideal.

Their best player, Karl-Anthony Towns, has played just four matches in the 2020-21 NBA campaign due to a wrist injury and a positive COVID-19 test. Towns remains day-to-day according to the latest injury report, so his status is unknown for this game.

It has been hard for the Timberwolves to win games, but they managed to take down the New Orleans Pelicans in their most recent outing.

In this article, we will create a combined starting five from the rosters of the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves


Guard - Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)

Steph Curry
Steph Curry

Stephen Curry has been carrying the Golden State Warriors. The team has shown glimpses of great basketball, but some of their losses have been quite bad. However, Curry is still having a nice year.

The two-time NBA MVP is averaging 28 points, six assists, and six rebounds per game, while his shooting splits are 45/38/93. He recently surpassed Reggie Miller for second place in NBA history in three-pointers made against the Utah Jazz.

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Curry has guided the Golden State Warriors to stunning victories, but the franchise are just eighth in the Western Conference and have struggled to put great results together.


Guard - D'Angelo Russell (Minnesota Timberwolves)

D'Angelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts toward the referee.
D'Angelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves reacts toward the referee.

D'Angelo Russell has been one of the positives for the Minnesota Timberwolves this season.

Though they will obviously miss Karl-Anthony Towns' 22 points per night, Russell is second in the team in scoring, with 20 points per game. He is also tied with Ricky Rubio for a team-high 5.5 assists per game.

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Russell has struggled with his shot a bit, though he has made 40% of his three-pointers (7.5 attempts per game). He needs to be more consistent for the T-Wolves.

In their last game, Russell rested, and Rubio started in his place to guide the Minnesota Timberwolves to a solid win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Forward - Malik Beasley (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Malik Beasley #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Malik Beasley #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Malik Beasley is a shooting guard in essence, but his scoring ability could suit the small forward position well.

The 24-year-old is having a solid year after signing his four-year, $60-million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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The 6' 4'' player is averaging 18 points per game, to go along with five rebounds per night. He has made 45% of his field goals, 39% of his three-pointers, and 82% of his free throws.

Beasley helped the Timberwolves snap their losing streak with 16 points and six rebounds against the New Orleans Pelicans.


Forward - Andrew Wiggins (Golden State Warriors)

Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors.
Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors.

Andrew Wiggins has been clutch for the Golden State Warriors in some big nights. In his first full season with the Dubs, he is doing a nice job as a starter and has earned his minutes with Steve Kerr.

Wiggins is averaging 17.4 points and five rebounds per game in the 2020-21 NBA season. Moreover, he has made 46% of his field goals and a career-high 41% of his three-pointers (5.1 attempts per game).

In Golden State Warriors' recent loss against the Utah Jazz, Andrew Wiggins put up just 13 points, but his touches were limited in the game. He made five of his nine field-goal attempts and two of his three shots from beyond the arc. He also recorded three blocks in that game, but his Plus/Minus was -27.


Center - James Wiseman (Golden State Warriors)

James Wiseman #33 of the Golden State Warriors.
James Wiseman #33 of the Golden State Warriors.

For an NBA rookie who did not bring much college basketball experience, James Wiseman has been impressive for the Golden State Warriors in the 2020-21 NBA season.

He was the second pick of the 2020 NBA Draft and will face the first overall pick in this game, Anthony Edwards.

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Wiseman has been as impressive as any other rookie in his class because after playing just three games in college, he is averaging close to 12 points, six rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.

His potential seems to be huge, and he is definitely heading in the right direction. Moreover, he is playing just 21 minutes per game as Steve Kerr is easing him into the fire.

The 7' 1'', left-handed center has the team's best defensive rating with 107.


Also read: Minnesota Timberwolves vs Golden State Warriors: Injury Updates, Predicted Lineups and Starting 5s - January 25th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21

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