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The Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves will meet in a Western Conference game in the beautiful state of Texas. As they try to re-enter the playoff picture, Minnesota enters the game with three straight victories. Houston, on the other hand, is currently last in the conference and has dropped six straight contests.
After losing six of their previous seven games, Minnesota have now won three consecutive. Karl-Anthony Towns, an all-star forward for Minnesota who is now recovering from a calf injury, is still out. The Los Angeles Clippers, another team with a lack of players, were defeated by the Wolves on Friday night, 128-115.
Despite having Gobert, Minnesota is only ranked 24th in rebounding and 19th in three-point shooting. The Wolves are a woeful 28th in three-point defense and rank 19th in scoring defense when it comes to defense.
Houston enters this contest with just 10 wins overall, but they appear to be a strong contender to secure the top pick in this year's NBA Draft. Prior to the game against Minnesota, Houston had lost six straight contests. Houston's most recent game took place on Thursday night, as they fell to the Utah Jazz 131-114.
With only ten victories, Houston is unsurprisingly close to the bottom in a number of statistical categories. This season, they are both ranked 28th in three-point shooting and 28th in scoring offense. In terms of rebounding, Houston is rated third in the NBA.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets Match Details
Fixture: Minnesota at Houston
Date and Time: Sunday, January 8 at 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets Injury Report
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets Betting Odds
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Minnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets Starting 5s
Minnesota
PG - D'Angelo Russell | SG - Anthony Edwards | SF - Kyle Anderson | PF - Jaden McDaniels | C - Rudy Gobert
Houston
PG - Kevin Porter Jr. | SG - Jalen Green | SF - Eric Gordon | PF - Jabari Smith Jr. | C - Alperen Sengun
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets Betting Prediction
When playing Houston, Gobert should be able to cause some damage and may find himself at the foul line quite a bit. Russell is likely to put up strong numbers as well against the eager but inept Rockets defense.
Houston are impetuous, hungry, and indisciplined, much like a youthful squad. Minnesota must win these games in order to maintain their position in the fiercely competitive Western Conference.
Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves (-130)
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