Minnesota Timberwolves vs Phoenix Suns Prediction: The Timberwolves are struggling

The NBA Regular Season is on and we have seen a bunch of amazing battles already. There have been some impressive comebacks whereas there are teams that have raised their levels, which holds especially true for the Portland Trail Blazers and the Utah Jazz. However, there are teams that have performed below expectations and one of them is the Minnesota Timberwolves which will take on the Phoenix Suns.

The Timberwolves have not started well and have lost six out of eleven games. They last played against the Knicks 107:120 despite Karl Anthony-Towns’ 25 points outburst. Their defense has continued to struggle but their offense has also let them down repeatedly. Their schedule hasn’t exactly been tough and they should have nabbed a 66% win percentage here but they have not begun in an inspiring way.

One of the reasons for their slow start has been the lack of production from their sharpshooter D’Angelo Russell who is yet to attain any sort of rhythm. He is shooting below 30% from deep and the team has suffered because of it. Their paint defense has improved and they are top ten in the least points allowed inside the paint and that is mostly because of acquiring Rudy Gobert who is a solid inside defender. However, surprisingly despite having two strong rebounders in Gobert and Towns, they have allowed the second most second-chance points.

Anthony Edwards has been a huge factor as a complete offensive player whereas Karl Anthony-Towns is also scoring at a high clip. Jaden McDaniels has been an effective lane-filler but remains ineffective for most parts. The bench is also suffering a lot and without Malik Beasley, they have been not performing at the expected level as Jaylen Nowell hasn’t been consistent, whereas the team has received strong playmaking from Jordan McLaughlin. The bench needs to acquire more consistency for sure.

The Suns come into this game after an underwhelming effort against the Sixers as they lost 88:100. Despite that loss, Phoenix has started strong, winning seven out of their ten games but have lost two out of the last three games, including a last-second loss to the short-handed Trail Blazers. The Suns have been one of the elite teams for a couple of years now and their prospects of getting a title remain prosperous after they have built one of the best offenses and defenses in the league.

Devin Booker has been a top-notch scorer and he also can make difficult passes. Chris Paul’s scoring is recovering while his playmaking remains one of the best. Deandre Ayton can both play tough in low-post and can also make tough turnarounds in mid-range situations. The Suns boast of the best paint defense and have allowed the least amount of points there. They don’t commit many turnovers and play a very methodical style, prioritising ball-movement.

Their bulk of defense also relies upon elite Wing defender Mikal Bridges who has been a menace once again and has also provided top-notch scoring. The team’s fifth option has taken a hit though after an injury to Cam Johnson who was looking in a great groove and they will probably rely upon defensive Forward Torrey Craig to fill the void. The Suns have looked a bit erratic at times but they remain one of the best squads.

• Timberwolves: OUT: Rudy Gobert;
• Suns: Ish Wainright, Duane Washington Jr., Cam Johnson.

• Expected Leading Scorers: Devin Booker(25+ Points), Karl Anthony-Towns (22-26 Points), Anthony Edwards(20+ Points);
• Expected Leading Rebounders: Karl Anthony-Towns(11-14 Rebounds), Deandre Ayton(10-14 Rebounds);
• Expected Leading Playmakers: Chris Paul(10+ Assists), D’Angelo Russell(8-11 Assists)

Despite taking a big injury hit in Cam Johnson and losing to the Sixers in the last game, the Suns are the type of team that can’t be taken lightly because of their composition. They know how to shut it down on defense and also boast of a multi-faceted offense that can be effective in tough scenarios. On the other hand, the Timberwolves have looked one-dimensional on the offense at times while their defense despite not being terrible, hasn’t been getting it done in key moments.

 What has separated these two teams for the last couple of years has been the Suns’ ability to read the situation and play accordingly, something where the Wolves require work. I believe here too the Suns will read the situation well and extend the pain to the Wolves’ mediocre start. I believe the Total Points Range will be 220-230 here.