The Timberwolves are back in action less than 24 hours after a heroic 44-point effort from Anthony Edwards, this time taking on Darius Garland and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After a heroic performance by Anthony Edwards against the Indiana Pacers, the Minnesota Timberwolves look to continue their winning ways on the road against Darius Garland and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
This Cavaliers team is far from fully formed, as they are down three starters in Donovan Mitchell (left knee bone bruise), Evan Mobley (left ankle sprain) and Max Strus (right knee strain), but they still have a lot of weapons that could exploit a potentially drained Timberwolves team.
The Wolves had to dig deep to pull out a win on Thursday, and with an ever shrinking rotation, this could be a spot they slip up. If others around Edwards step up to fill the scoring void, they stay disciplined on defense, and dominate the paint, though, there’s no reason they shouldn’t come away with another win.
Game Info
- Who: Minnesota Timberwolves (44-19) at Cleveland Cavaliers (40-22)
- When: Friday, March 8 at 6:30 PM CT
- Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse — Cleveland, OH
- National TV: ESPN (Beth Mowins, Monica McNutt and Katie George)
- Local TV: Bally Sports North Extra (Michael Grady, Jim Petersen and Marney Gellner)
- Radio: Wolves App, iHeart Radio, KFAN 100.3 FM
- Line: Wolves +2.5 | Total: 206 (courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Injury Report
Updated as of Friday, 3/8 at 12:00 PM CT
Minnesota
QUESTIONABLE:
- Anthony Edwards (left ankle soreness)
- Jordan McLaughlin (illness)
OUT:
- Jaylen Clark (right achilles tendon rupture rehab)
- Leonard Miller (G League assignment)
- Monte Morris (left hamstring soreness)
- Karl-Anthony Towns (left meniscus tear)
Cleveland
OUT:
- Ty Jerome (right ankle surgery)
- Donovan Mitchell (left knee bone bruise)
- Evan Mobley (left ankle sprain)
- Max Strus (right knee strain)
- Tristan Thompson (league suspension)
What to Watch For
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
What’s Left in the Tank?
Thursday’s game against the Pacers was an incredible win, but it also was a draining endeavor. On the second night of a road back-to-back, the Timberwolves will have to dig deep to pull out another important win. What Edwards showed in Indianapolis was the stuff of superstars, but even he admitted after the game that he was really tired, and is listed as questionable due to left ankle soreness. Thankfully, Edwards is 22 years old and a superhuman athlete, so he should be fine. To expect a similar performance, though, may be asking a bit much.
Edwards will again be the driving force, but there has to be contributions from elsewhere. We saw how fragile this rotation can be now last night. With Karl-Anthony Towns injured, Monte Morris picking up a hamstring injury that limited him to just under six minutes (and will keep him out on Friday night), and Jaden McDaniels and Kyle Anderson in foul trouble, the rotation got slim in a hurry. It got so slim that T.J. Warren — who is on a 10-day contract — was called into service playing his first game since May 11, 2023.
Tonight’s game against the Cavaliers isn’t going to be an easy win either. They play a tough, physical brand of basketball that tends to sap the energy from their opponents. Additionally, we just saw them have a massive comeback against the Boston Celtics, so the odds of them rolling over if they get down big early are slim. Edwards is fantastic, and it wouldn’t be shocking if he had a repeat performance as he tends to step up when the lights are the brightest (ESPN game), but others must step up and fill the offensive void left by Towns.
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
Don’t Sleep on the Depleted Cavs
The Timberwolves tend to play to the level of their competition, and tonight could be a similar story. The Cavaliers have had a terrific season as they sit in third in the Eastern Conference. With the second or third-best defense in the league, depending on what outlet you’re looking at. However, this is far from a full-strength Cavs team as they are missing Mitchell, Mobley, and Strus, three of their typical starters.
With those three players off the court, according to Cleaning the Glass, the Cavs have a net rating of -9.1. Their offensive rating of 117.7 still ranks in the 64th percentile as players like Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, and others tend to carry the load. However, it’s the defensive end where their competency disappears as their defensive rating skyrockets to 126.8, which ranks in the second percentile.
This should be a matchup that the Timberwolves can exploit and come away with another win on what will be a tough road trip. If the Wolves can keep Darius Garland from having a repeat performance from their first matchup last season where he dropped 51 points, stay disciplined defensively, and exploit a vulnerable defense, they should be in a strong position to walk away with a win.
Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
Paint Domination
The ethos of this Timberwolves defense, and every Rudy Gobert anchored defense, has been to control the paint. Tonight’s game is no different. Jarrett Allen is one of the best defenders in the league and does a fantastic job of controlling the paint, but he’s also the only big available who consistently plays on the roster.
Offensively, the Wolves should approach this game like any other. They rank sixth in the league in at-rim shot frequency and 11th in accuracy. On the season, the Cavs have been one of the best rim protection teams in the league. Despite ranking 17th in defensive at-rim shot frequency, they rank second in accuracy. However, when Mitchell, Mobley, and Strus are off the court, their at-rim defensive field goal percentage of 61.7% on the year jumps to 67.9% (31st percentile). Additionally, when Allen and Tristan Thompson, who is suspended, are also off the court, this number takes another leap to 71% (10th percentile). The Timberwolves should be able to feast at the rim tonight.
Defensively, Minnesota should be able to dominate the interior as they’ve ranked sixth in at-rim frequency and fifth in accuracy. Despite ranking only 18th in at-rim shooting accuracy, attacking the rim has been a mainstay of Cleveland’s offense all year as they rank third in frequency. However, a major fulcrum of their rim pressure comes with those players who are listed as out. When Mitchell, Mobley, Strus, and Thompson are off the court, the Cavs’ at-rim shot frequency drops from 35.9% to 30.2% (22nd percentile), and their accuracy drops from 65.6% to 64% (35th percentile). When we look at the minutes that Allen will have to inevitably sit, things get even worse for them as their frequency drops to 27.8% (seventh percentile) and accuracy drops to 52.2% (0 percentile).
The construction of tonight’s Cavs team is far from what it’s been all season. They will likely revert into mostly a jump shooting team. This may lead to more aggressive closeouts to funnel shooters to Gobert at the rim, but there is no reason that the Wolves shouldn’t dominate the paint tonight.