'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwX/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMkiAo//xAAfEAACAgEEAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEEgAGIVEFEbL/2gAIAQEAAT8A8ht6CvWnms1qmFKZ0AiHozlRkc+uOtSbKjWRgzAMDyFfj51//8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAAyH/2gAIAQIBAT8AtYqMn//EABgRAQEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIBAAME/9oACAEDAQE/AObUG7FM/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks will officially start the NBA preseason on Thursday.
The game will be held at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Let's take a look at the Timberwolves' injury update, player availability, preseason schedule and more.
Minnesota has only one player in their injury report, as per ESPN. It's rookie guard Jaylen Clark, who's still recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in March during the UCLA Bruin's regular season finale. The Timberwolves expect him to miss the first half of the 2023-24 season.
Fans in Abu Dhabi should expect Minnesota's trio of stars, Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, to see some action in the first preseason game of the year. All three players participated in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, so they could play limited minutes.
The Minnesota Timberwolves play the Dallas Mavericks twice in Abu Dhabi. Their first game is on Thursday, Oct. 5, and the second is two days later.
After the two games in Abu Dhabi, both teams will fly back to the United States to resume their training camp. The Timberwolves have two more preseason games on their schedule before NBA opening week.
Minnesota take on the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden on Oct. 14 before taking on the Chicago Bulls in United Center five days later. They will start the 2023-24 season on the road as well, up north in Canada against the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 25.
What to expect from the Minnesota Timberwolves this season?
There are going to be a lot of expectations for the Minnesota Timberwolves this season after their disastrous 2022-23 campaign. Karl-Anthony Towns missed a lot of time due to injury, while Rudy Gobert had a season to forget in his first year in Minnesota.
Anthony Edwards finally became an All-Star and should only get better this season after experiencing the playoffs and the FIBA World Cup. The Timberwolves didn't make a lot of changes in their starting lineup, but their bench corps could be the x-factor this season.
Naz Reid has the potential to be the team's sixth man, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker is coming off an impressive showing for Canada at the FIBA World Cup. Kyle Anderson should have no problems adjusting his game off the bench, while Jordan McLaughlin will look to build on his pretty solid campaign last season.
If Gobert and Towns can co-exist playing together, there's a pretty good chance that the Timberwolves will be in the playoffs. Edwards, meanwhile, should cement himself as among the best shooting guards in the league.
