The Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics matchup is one of five games scheduled for Sunday. Entering play, Minnesota sits fifth in a two-way tie with a 43-28 record, while Boston is second in the East with a 47-23 record.
The two teams have played each other 70 times in the regular season, with the Celtics holding a 43-27 lead. This will be their second and final game of the season. They last played on Nov. 29, when the Timberwolves won 119-115 behind Anthony Edwards’ 39 points. Jaylen Brown paced Boston with a game-high 41 points.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Boston Celtics Odds
Moneyline: Timberwolves (+320) vs Celtics (-425)
Spread: Timberwolves +9.5 (-105) vs Celtics -9.5 (114)
Total (O/U): Timberwolves o220 (-103) vs Celtics u220 (-108)
Editor’s note: The odds could change closer to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Boston Celtics Preview
The Timberwolves come into Sunday’s game with a 5-5 record in their last ten. On Friday night, they suffered a tough loss at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers. The loss was yet another missed chance for Minnesota to fight for a higher playoff seed in the Western Conference.
Minnesota has had to deal with the loss of Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid as well. Julius Randle had 18 points, Rudy Gobert recorded a double-double with 18 points, while Bones Hyland and Ayo Dosunmu scored 17 points each. The Timberwolves are holding onto the sixth spot in the West but face stiff competition, with half a game separating them from the fourth-seed Houston Rockets and the fifth-seed Denver Nuggets.
The Celtics, on the other hand, are coming off a 117-112 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Boston was led by Jaylen Brown’s 30 points, while Luka Garza added 22 points. The team has won four straight games and holds a 1.5-game lead over the third-place New York Knicks. The Celtics will try to maintain their position, as it gives them home-court advantage in the playoffs.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Boston Celtics Injury Reports
Minnesota Timberwolves Injury Report
The Timberwolves are sweating it out over Naz Reid’s fitness, as he missed the last two games with ankle issues. He is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game. Anthony Edwards is another key player who remains out.
Boston Celtics Injury Report
The Celtics also listed two players on the injury report. Jaylen Brown is listed as probable with a quad contusion, while Nikola Vucevic remains out due to a finger injury.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Boston Celtics Starting Lineups
Timberwolves
PG: Donte DiVincenzo | SG: Ayo Dosunmu | SF: Jaden McDaniels | PF: Julius Randle | C: Rudy Gobert
Celtics
PG: Derrick White | SG: Jaylen Brown| SF: Sam Hauser | PF: Jayson Tatum | C: Neemias Queta
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Boston Celtics Prediction
The Timberwolves will be hoping that their recent loss sparks a fire to turn things around, given how razor-thin the seeding race has been in the West. However, the Celtics will provide a stern test. They play with tenacity and speed, and it’s difficult to see a Timberwolves team missing Anthony Edwards managing to get a result in Boston.
The oddsmakers also favor the Celtics to win. This should be a well-contested matchup. If Jaylen Brown plays, Boston should cover the spread and get the win. The game total is expected to go over 218 points.
Predicted final score: Boston 117-110 Minnesota
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