It’s a battle of young studs as Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves engage against Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic.

Catch the game tomorrow at 8:00 AM, Manila time.

AWAY: Minnesota Timberwolves (25-10, 11-8 AWAY)

Projected starting five:

  • Mike Conley
  • Anthony Edwards
  • Jaden McDaniels
  • Karl-Anthony Towns
  • Rudy Gobert

Though still sitting atop the Western Conference, the Timberwolves are now losers in three of their last four games. It could be their downtrending part of the season, which is long overdue.

That said, the core of Anthony Edwards (26.8 PPG), Karl-Anthony Towns (21.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG), Rudy Gobert (12.5 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 2.0 BPG), and Mike Conley (11.2 PPG, 6.2 APG) are still one of the league’s most well-rounded. 

They have all the ability to snap out of the funk and get back into form at any given game. There’s athleticism, size, scoring ability, shooting, playmaking, defense, and more.

Further, the T-Wolves statistically remain as the best defense in the league. They allow the fewest points per game (107.7 PPG) while also having the number one defensive rating.

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HOME: Orlando Magic (21-15, 13-4 HOME)

Projected starting five:

  • Anthony Black
  • Jalen Suggs
  • Franz Wagner (day-to-day) / Caleb Houston
  • Paolo Banchero
  • Goga Bitadze

The Magic have won two in a row after a three-game skid. They had a huge 22-point comeback on the defending champion Denver Nuggets on Saturday, and followed it up with a 117-110 overtime victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

No. 2 scorer Franz Wagner (20.9 PPG) has been sidelined in the last two games due to an ankle injury. His absence is leaving a considerable gap, but that has also allowed Paolo Banchero to showcase his continuous development. The 2022 top overall pick is amassing 36.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 6.7 assists in his last three outings, including a 55% clip from beyond the arc on 6.7 attempts. 

The secondary guys are also stepping up. Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony combined for 50 points in the win against the Nuggets, while Caleb Houstan chipped in a career-high 25 on spot duty during the nailbiter vs. the Hawks.

The Magic are scoring 113.9 PPG on the season, and giving up 111.9 in return.

PREDICTIONS:

Handicap: The T-Wolves (-5) don’t cover.

Over/Under: The total goes over 217.

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