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The Minnesota Timberwolves will be on the road to take on the Portland Trail Blazers for a Western Conference battle on Thursday. The Trail Blazers are off to a skittish start in the NBA 2020-21 season, carrying a 3-4 overall record into this matchup with the Timberwolves. The Timberwolves, on the other hand, are near the bottom in the West and currently hold a record of 2-5.
Match Details
Fixture: Minnesota Timberwolves vs Portland Trail Blazers | NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Thursday, January 7th, 2021, 10 PM ET.
Venue: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
The Minnesota Timberwolves need to turn their season around quickly if they want to be on the bubble when the playoffs come around.
The Timberwolves are currently on a five-game losing streak, most recently falling to the Denver Nuggets by a score of 123-116. They have been good enough on the offensive end but have been unable to hit the big shots when the game calls for it.
The Minnesota Timberwolves must leave their troubles behind them and put together a solid performance to break their streak and secure a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Key Player - D'Angelo Russell
D'Angelo Russell will need a career night for the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday if his team is going to keep this game close.
Russell is leading the Timberwolves in scoring with 19.1 points per game, but it has not been enough to make up for the Timberwolves' lack of defense.
Russell will need to find open shots and hit baskets with efficiency to take out the Trail Blazers.
Minnesota Timberwolves Predicted Line-up
G D'Angelo Russell, G Malik Beasley, F Juancho Hernangomez, F Jarrett Culver, C Ed Davis
Portland Trail Blazers Preview
The Portland Trail Blazers have been in some close games and have been showing signs of a top offense in the West. However, their performance has not translated on their record.
The Trail Blazers have a great chance to play a less talented team and work out the problems on both ends of the court on Thursday.
The Portland Trail Blazers have been led offensively by Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. They will be hoping for another big night out of both players on their way to a 4-4 record.
Key Player - Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard will hope to provide lots of offense for the Portland Trail Blazers in Thursday's matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Lillard has had the hot hand lately and should continue his stellar start to the season against a struggling Timberwolves' defense.
Damian Lillard is averaging 26 points, 6.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. The Trail Blazers point guard will be running the offense and should lead the way to a victory for Portland.
Portland Trail Blazers Predicted Lineup
G Damian Lillard G CJ McCollum F Derrick Jones Jr. F Robert Covington C Jusuf Nurkic
Timberwolves vs. Trail Blazers Prediction
The Portland Trail Blazers are favored to win this game and should do so if they are able to execute on the offensive end.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have been struggling to stop offenses from finding the basket, and the Trail Blazers will definitely be looking to capitalize when they get a chance.
I predict a strong showing from Damian Lillard and company on the way to a Portland Trail Blazers victory.
Where to watch Timberwolves vs. Trail Blazers
The Minnesota Timberwolves-Portland Trail Blazers game will be broadcast live locally on NBCSports Northwest. For full access to NBA games, basketball fans can livestream the game with a subscription to NBA League Pass.
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