After blowing out the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, the Minnesota Timberwolves are right back at it Thursday night as they continue their final road trip with a matchup against the Orlando Magic. Winning both ends of a back-to-back is never easy, especially when both games are on the road. Additionally, the Timberwolves are also without key players as they continue their push for playoff seeding.
This is the second and final matchup between the two teams this season. Orlando won the previous contest 119-92 on Mar.7. Desmond Bane led the Magic with 30 points, while Anthony Edwards had 34 points.
The nonconference matchup is scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET tipoff at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. It will be televised on FDSN and FDSFL.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Orlando Magic Odds
Moneyline: Timberwolves (+180) vs Magic (-220)
Spread: Timberwolves +6 (-110) vs Magic -6 (-110)
Total (O/U): Timberwolves o227.5 (-114) vs Magic u227.5 (-109)
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 Orlando Magic Preview
The Timberwolves were in a bit of a mess without Anthony Edwards in the lineup. They were in danger of falling into the play-in with frequent losses. There was no better opportunity to break out of their funk than against a struggling Pacers team, and they made the most of it with a 124-104 win on Tuesday. In doing so, they finally clinched a postseason berth. Ayo Dosunmu scored a team-high 24 points, while Julius Randle and Bones Hyland added 19 points each.
If the standings stay the same through the weekend, Minnesota is likely to finish as the sixth seed. They are currently holding a four-game cushion over the seventh-place Phoenix Suns and sit three games behind the fourth-seed LA Lakers and fifth-seed Houston Rockets.
The Magic, on the other hand, are walking a fine line between urgency and anxiety in late-season basketball. They hold the eighth spot at 43-36, tied with the Philadelphia 76ers, who own the tiebreaker. They are also one game behind the sixth-place Toronto Raptors and two games behind the fifth-seed Atlanta Hawks.
Dropping out of the playoffs entirely remains an unlikely scenario for Orlando. However, they must win all three of their remaining games to prevent that from becoming a reality. Just two games currently separate the fifth and eighth seeds in the East.
They are currently on a bit of a hot streak, having won three straight games. In their latest matchup, they secured a 123-107 win over the Detroit Pistons behind Paolo Banchero’s 31 points.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Orlando Magic Injury Reports
Minnesota Timberwolves Injury Report
Minnesota’s leading scorer Anthony Edwards has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury. He is listed as questionable to return for Wednesday’s matchup. Jaden McDaniels is another player who is certainly ruled out, as he is still battling knee patella tendinopathy and a bone bruise. This will be his seventh consecutive game missed.
Orlando Magic Injury Report
The Magic are sweating over the fitness of Wendell Carter Jr. (nasal fracture) and Jamal Cain (calf contusion). Both are listed as questionable and are expected to undergo late checks before a final call is made. Jett Howard (ankle) and Jonathan Isaac (knee) remain sidelined.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Orlando Magic Starting Lineups
Timberwolves
PG: Donte DiVincenzo | SG: Ayo Dosunmu | SF: Terrence Shannon Jr. | PF: Julius Randle | C: Rudy Gobert
Magic
PG: Jalen Suggs | SG: Desmond Bane | SF: Franz Wagner | PF: Paolo Banchero | C: Wendell Carter Jr.*
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Orlando Magic Prediction
This matchup looks finely balanced given the circumstances surrounding both teams, as the Magic are riding a three-game winning streak and tend to perform better at home, while Minnesota arrives in mixed form, though their recent road record is slightly better.
The Timberwolves might still have a slight edge if Anthony Edwards suits up, yet fatigue playing the second leg of a back-to-back could play a role, making this a tight contest. Bettors favor an Orlando win but expect the Timberwolves to cover the +6 spread. Overall, Orlando is projected to win by just 3 to 5 points.
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