In their penultimate home game of the season, the Houston Rockets take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. Houston enters tonight’s matchup on an eight-game winning streak and still has a chance to challenge the LA Lakers for a playoff home-court advantage. However, that opportunity requires the Rockets to win their remaining two games while hoping the Lakers lose at least one of theirs. Both teams are tied at 51-29, with LA holding the tiebreaker.
The Timberwolves, meanwhile, show inconsistency at the worst possible time. Injuries to key players have taken a significant toll, leaving the team at the sixth last spot in playoff positions. They need to find a working system before the postseason begins.
This will be the third and final meeting between the two teams this season, with each team having won one game. The last time they met, Minnesota secured a 110-108 overtime victory behind Jaden McDaniels’s 25 points. Thirty-point performances from Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant went in vain.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets Odds
Moneyline: Timberwolves (+340) vs Rockets (-450)
Spread: Timberwolves +10.5 (-115) vs Rockets -10.5 (-105)
Total (O/U): Timberwolves o221.5 (-114) vs Rockets u221.5 (-108)
Editor’s note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets Preview
Minnesota has won just four of its last 10 games and is coming off a 132-120 loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. Terrence Shannon Jr. had a career-high outing with 33 points. What we’re seeing now from the Timberwolves is slightly different from what we are used to. Minnesota looks like a different team in the absence of Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels, with many of their losses coming by blowout margins.
That’s not the kind of form a contender wants heading into the playoffs. While they are expected to be challenged by the Denver Nuggets in the first round, they need to find an immediate solution to their struggles.
The Rockets, on the other hand, look like the dominant force, riding an eight-game winning streak, including six straight at home.. Last night, they beat the Philadelphia 76ers 113-102, led by Kevin Durant’s 29 points. With a 51-29 record in the standings, the Rockets are hot on the tail of the Lakers and Nuggets, with little separating the three teams in the final two games.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets Injury Reports
Minnesota Timberwolves Injury Report
Anthony Edwards hasn’t played since April 3 due to a nagging knee injury, but he is expected to return to the lineup tonight. He is listed as questionable, along with Ayo Dosunmu (calf), Bones Hyland (hip) and Julius Randle (hand). Joe Ingles (personal) and Rudy Gobert (rest) are listed out.
Houston Rockets Injury Report
The Rockets have been relatively healthy lately, though Steven Adams (ankle) and Fred VanVleet (ACL) still remain out.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets Starting Lineup
Timberwolves
PG: Donte DiVincenzo | SG: Anthony Edwards | SF: Jaden McDaniels | PF: Julius Randle | C: Naz Reid
Rockets
PG: Amen Thompson | SG: Reed Sheppard | SF: Kevin Durant | PF: Jabari Smith Jr. | C: Alperen Sengun
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets Prediction
The matchup between the two has been a closely contested battle this season, and Friday is likely to follow the same theme. While bettors favor the Rockets by 10.5 points, the visitors still have enough to end Houston’s praiseworthy eight-game unbeaten streak.
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