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The Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves host the Indiana Pacers in a regular season match on Saturday in Minneapolis. It will be the first showdown between the two teams this season. The Wolves are coming off a bounce-back 119-101 win in their previous game against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.
Big man Naz Reid came off the bench, finishing with a team-high 27 points, going 7-of-11 from beyond the arc, to go along with six rebounds and three assists. Karl-Anthony Town added 21 points and 17 rebounds.
Indiana, meanwhile, enters the contest losing two straight contests, the most recent coming on Friday night against the Washington Wizards, 137-123. Isaiah Jackson had a solid night for the Pacers, finishing with 20 points and 13 rebounds while All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton had 19 points and 11 assists.
Their efforts, though, were not enough, as Indiana fell to a second straight defeat.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Indiana Pacers: Preview, betting tips and prediction
Game details
Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves (18-5) vs Indiana Pacers (13-10)
Date and Time: Dec. 16, 2023 I 8:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Indiana Pacers: Game preview
The Timberwolves have gotten off to one of their better starts in recent years, thanks to playing more in-sync basketball on both ends of the court.
The players are more comfortable with their roles and delivering accordingly, putting themselves in a better position to compete. Minnesota’s All-Stars Anthony Edwards, Towns and Rudy Gobert have been steady, while there have been consistent contributions from veterans Mike Conley and Reid and young big man Jaden McDaniels.
That has allowed the Wolves to have a deeper bag to draw from early in their campaign.
The Pacers, for their part, were not doing poorly until recently when they lost back-to-back games. Tyrese Haliburton continues to soar as the leader of the team, with improved play and help from the likes of Myles Turner, Bennedict Mathurin, Buddy Hield, Bruce Brown and Obi Toppin.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Indiana Pacers: Predicted starting lineups
Edwards is listed as questionable, as per ESPN, for Minnesota, opening the door for Nickeil Alexander-Walker to take his place in the starting five alongside Towns, Gobert, Conley and McDaniels.
Over on the Indiana side, Haliburton is considered day-to-day because of a left knee contusion and could miss the Minnesota showdown. If he's a no-go for the game, veteran TJ McConnell could be asked to step in and play in line with starters Turner, Hield, Toppin and Brown.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Indiana Pacers: Betting tips
With Edwards rendered questionable, Towns is +450 to score the first field goal for Minnesota, with Gobert coming in +650 and McDaniels at +750.
For the Pacers, Turner has the best odds to score the first basket at +550, with Hield next at +900.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Indiana Pacers: Predictions
The moneyline for the Timberwolves is -350, while for the Pacers, it is +270. Minnesota is installed as a 7.5-point favorite to win.
While possibly missing the services of Edwards, the Timberwolves are still on solid footing with Towns to lead charge. They are also more rested than Indiana, who is playing the second game of a back-to-back and perhaps sans Haliburton.
