Minnesota Timberwolves vs Washington Wizards Prediction: Thinned down Wolves take on rejuvenated Wizs

The NBA Trade Deadline left a trail of interesting moves so we are into another captivating period where we can see a lot of changes in the way things are going to shape up. As we head deeper into the season, things are converging toward the Play-in/Playoffs territory. Anyway, in another crucial NBA game, the Minnesota TImberwolves will mount up against the Washington Wizards.

The Timberwolves enter this contest after defeating the Mavericks 124:121 as Anthony Edwards scooped up 32 points, Gobert had 14 rebounds, and Conley had nine assists. They have won two out of their last three games but in an extended window, they have four wins and four losses. They did away with D’Angelo Russell and brought in playmaking and defensive Guard Mike Conley, which is a big change indeed, especially in the absence of Karl Anthony-Towns.

They have 31 wins and 29 losses and remain in shot for the top-six finish and at least a Play-in tournament. However, the race is tight in the West from the third to 13th seed in what is one of the closest Western Conference rank distributions in a long time. How long can the Wolves persist without Karl Anthony-Towns? Will the addition of Conley provide more two-way balance?

The Wizards come into this game after thumping the Trail Blazers 126:101 as Kyle Kuzma scooped up 33 points. They have won three of their four games. This window follows a three-game losing streak which followed a six-game winning streak. Overall, their play has improved from earlier parts and they have compiled 27 wins and 30 losses after they had started with an 11 wins and 20 losses record.

The Wizards will be looking to close out the last part of the season with a big run They are in a close standings situation with the Bulls and the Raptors. The major overhaul has been Kyle Kuzma’s amazing form who has bundled up 25+ points on a regular basis while Porzingis and Beal have also eclipsed the 20 points mark repeatedly. How will the Wizards close out the season?

• Timberwolves: OUT: Karl Anthony-Towns. QUESTIONABLE: Kyle Anderson, Rudy Gobert;
• Wizards: Nothing to report thus far.

• Expected Leading Scorers: Anthony Edwards(26+ Points), Kyle Kuzma(25+ Points);
• Expected Leading Rebounders: Rudy Gobert(11-15 Rebounds), Kristaps Porzingis(11-13 Rebounds);
• Expected Leading Playmaker: Mike Conley(7-10 Assists)

The Timberwolves will look to close out their scene well here because these are games they have to win against sub-50% win squads. However, the Wizards have repeatedly shown resilience on the road and this will be a tricky match-up. I expect the Wizards to come firing but also expect Edwards to keep them at bay. I predict a scoreline of 124:120 in favor of the Wolves.