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The Philadelphia 76ers continue their road schedule with a rematch against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday at Target Center. Philly lost the first game versus Minnesota 121-120 at the Wells Fargo Center and will be looking to split the season series.
Joel Embiid strengthened his MVP case with a brilliant game against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. The superstar center outdueled The Greek Freak to finish with 42 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, leading his side to a 123-120 road win.
The biggest news coming into this game will be the likely debut of former MVP James Harden, who was swapped for a package centered on Ben Simmons. It’ll be interesting to see how “The Beard” acclimates himself with his new Philadelphia 76ers teammates.
The Minnesota Timberwolves arguably played their best game of the season by rallying from a 15-point deficit and holding off the Memphis Grizzlies for a win on February 24. Everyone on the roster made significant contributions, led by D’Angelo Russell’s mesmerizing fourth quarter. The 26-year-old scored 23 of his 37 points in the final quarter.
Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Anthony Edwards all played critical roles in the Minnesota Timberwolves' victory.
Edwards had one of his worst shooting nights. However, he shut down Ja Morant in the latter’s potential game-tying three-pointer with two seconds left in the game.
Towns finished the game with a double-double. He also played great defense and playmaking down the stretch.
Match Details
Fixture: Philadelphia 76ers vs Minnesota Timberwolves | 2021-22 NBA season
Date & Time: Friday, February 25th; 8:00 PM ET (Saturday, February 26th; 6:30 AM IST)
Venue: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
After months of standoff, Daryl Morey finally got what he wanted in exchange for Ben Simmons. The Philadelphia 76ers were clearly desperate not to waste another of Joel Embiid’s MVP-level performances, so pulling the trigger on the exchange was a big win for the 76ers.
Joel Embiid has a legitimate claim to winning the MVP award for the second straight season. While he wasn’t healthy enough to get the recognition last season, he has been mostly available for the Philadelphia 76ers this campaign. Playing without Simmons has opened up his playmaking skills, and he’s now posting a career-high 4.5 dishes per contest.
Having James Harden in the lineup will be great for the Philadelphia 76ers’ often stagnant offense. They now have a player who plays the pick and roll to near perfection and who has led the NBA in assists in the past.
If "The Beard" is past his hamstring issues, he will make the 76ers even more formidable.
Key Player - Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid placed second to Nikola Jokic in last season’s MVP race. The Philadelphia 76ers' All-Star center is following up that season with an even more impressive 2021-22 campaign, where he is now the NBA’s leading scorer. The 27-year-old is currently averaging 29.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG and 4.5 APG this season.
Joel Embiid showed off his superstar play with a spectacular game, leading the Philadelphia 76ers past the Milwaukee Bucks, who had their Big 3 in the game. His back-and-forth with Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP, was one of the best battles this season.
The 27-year-old ultra-talented center will have another tough matchup on his hands on Friday as he faces the recent winner of the All-Star Three-Point competition, Karl-Anthony Towns.
Embiid and Towns have had some nasty battles in the past, so this might be another testy confrontation.
Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup
G - Tyrese Maxey | G - James Harden | F - Danny Green | F - Tobias Harris | C - Joel Embiid
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Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
The Minnesota Timberwolves are starting to look like a playoff-bound team after so many years of disappointments. They are now seventh in the West standings and will be looking to push the Denver Nuggets for the coveted sixth spot to avoid the brutal play-in tournament.
The Timberwolves have shown just how good they can be when nearly everyone is locked in. D’Angelo Russell had the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on a string, particularly in the final canto, where he dumped 23 of his game-high 37 points. He also knew when to take over the game, considering how much Anthony Edwards struggled from the field.
Karl-Anthony Towns, meanwhile, anchored the team on both ends of the floor. He seems to have a new swag to his game that allows him to dominate without having gaudy numbers.
Key Player - Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns just won the Three-Point Shootout in record fashion and is seemingly invigorated after the historic feat.
The 3x All-Star shot 9-19 from the field, including 2-4 from long distance, against the Memphis Grizzlies. His ability to score all over the floor opens up the Minnesota Timberwolves’ offense.
Towns also had 22 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks against the Grizzlies. Two of those three assists were made during the intense seesaw battle in the closing minutes of the game. One of his three blocks also took place during the stretch, showing his impact in the game.
Matching up with Joel Embiid is going to be juicy. Karl-Anthony Towns will see how he measures up against one of the best players in the NBA over the past few years.
Minnesota Timberwolves Predicted Lineup
G - D’Angelo Russell | G - Patrick Beverley | F - Anthony Edwards | F - Jarred Vanderbilt | C - Karl-Anthony Towns
76ers vs Timberwolves Match Prediction
Both sides will be coming in hot, but the Philadelphia 76ers just handed the Milwaukee Bucks a tough loss, with Joel Embiid being the lone star on the team. They will now invade Target Center with one of the most prolific scorers and playmakers the league has seen in recent years.
The Minnesota Timberwolves will be playing the second night of a back-to-back after an exacting matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies. Philadelphia could take advantage of it and get a closely-fought win against Minnesota.
Where to watch the 76ers vs Timberwolves game
The NBA League Pass will stream the Philadelphia 76ers-Minnesota Timberwolves game live. Local coverage of the matchup is available via Bally Sports North and NBC Sports Philadelphia.
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