The Minnesota Timberwolves are the hottest team in the NBA right now, but can they continue winning this Thursday when they take on the Phoenix Suns on the road just a day after a heavyweight battle versus the Golden State Warriors? Or, will the Suns end their slump at last?

Catch this game live on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 10 AM, Manila time

Away: Minnesota Timberwolves (8-2/3-2 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

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

The Timberwolves scored a unanimous decision win over the Golden State Warriors on the road on Wednesday to keep the good times rolling. With Karl-Anthony Towns abusing the Warriors’ defense for 33 points on 12/26 shooting from the field, including five 3-pointers, the T’wolves left the Bay Area with a 104-101 victory – Minnesota’s seventh in a row. 

Towns is a problem and he’s walking into Thursday’s contest averaging 20.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. But it also appears that Minnesota’s defense is the biggest thorn in the side for the Timberwolves’ opponents this season. Minnesota, which held the Warriors to only 42.0 FG%, is No. 1 in the league in both defensive FG% (41.8%) and scoring defense, with just 102.9 points allowed per contest.

Home: Phoenix Suns (4-6/1-4 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Devin Booker (Probable)
  • Bradley Beal
  • Keita Bates-Diop
  • Kevin Durant
  • Jusuf Nurkic

While the Timberwolves are winning, the Suns are not. Phoenix has dropped its last two contests, the latest being a 111-99 loss at home versus the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday. The Suns have also won just twice in their last seven outings. The injuries to Devin Booker and Bradley Beal have contributed to Phoenix’s slow start, but the two have a legitimate chance of playing together alongside Kevin Durant, who has been carrying most of the load so far this season for the Suns. So far, Durant is averaging 30.0 points on 49.8 FG%. 

Minnesota’s defense has been stout, but no defense is too stingy for Durant not to make a huge impact with his ability to get buckets. It’s mostly a matter of how much support he’ll get, and Beal being around and Booker coming back from a five-game absence is perhaps all the support KD needs. Booker and Beal are both expected to play this Thursday for Phoenix, which is 6-0 against the spread in its last six meetings with the Timberwolves.

PREDICTIONS:

Spread: The Timberwolves (+6) cover the spread.

Over/Under: The Over (228.0) hits the Under.

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