The Minnesota Timberwolves (17-9, 6th in Western Conference) host the Memphis Grizzlies (12-14, 9th in Western Conference) on Wednesday at Target Center.
The Timberwolves are enjoying a lengthy rest since their last game came Sunday, when they secured a 117-103 win over the Sacramento Kings. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies last played Monday and earned a 121-103 road win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Here are 3 key storylines to know heading into this matchup.
- On Minnesota’s home-court advantage: The Timberwolves are starting to find their groove, going 7-3 in their last 10 games. They own an impressive 9-4 home mark, which ranks fourth-best in the Western Conference. Only the Thunder (12-1), the Spurs (9-2) and the Rockets (8-2) have posted a better winning percentage than Minnesota at home. What’s more, Minnesota is sustaining despite the absence of Anthony Edwards. The star guard has missed the last two games with a foot injury, but that didn’t stop the Timberwolves from winning each of those contests. Rest and homecourt advantage could be significant factors in Minnesota’s favor on Wednesday night.
- The Grizzlies are comfortable playing away from home: Like the Timberwolves, the Grizzlies are starting to play their best basketball of the season. Memphis looked very good in the 121-103 victory over the Clippers on Monday, and the Grizzlies are 4-1 in their last five away games and 7-3 over their last 10. Focusing on their road performances, the Grizzlies’ lone defeat over their last five away from home came against the Spurs, who are 9-2 at home, on Dec. 2. The Grizzlies’ 6-7 record on the road might not be eye-popping, but only six teams in the West have gone over .500 away from home so far, and the fact that four of those six wins have come in the last few weeks is a clear sign of progress. The Grizzlies also won in their previous trip to Minnesota, a 127-125 win on Nov. 1 this year, so the Timberwolves can’t get complacent here.
- The frontcourt battle that will decide this game: Ja Morant and Anthony Edwards, pending availability, bring plenty of backcourt star power to this matchup. However, the frontcourt battle could tell the story on Wednesday. Specifically, it’ll be the battle at the four between Julius Randle and Jaren Jackson Jr. Randle has emerged as the Timberwolves’ go-to option on offense with Edwards out, and the star forward is averaging 24.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game over his last five outings. Jackson can’t be overlooked, however, and he posted a season-high 31 points in the win over the Clippers on Monday. He’s averaging 19.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game when playing on the road, and his elite defensive ability will make things difficult for Randle. This will be a key matchup for fans to focus on in this showdown.
