The Oklahoma City Thunder look to extend their winning streak to eight, while the Minnesota Timberwolves hope to get back on the win column.

Catch the game tomorrow at 9:30 AM, Manila time.

AWAY: Oklahoma City Thunder (44-9, 18-6 AWAY)

Projected starting five:

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
  • Alex Caruso
  • Lu Dort
  • Jalen Williams
  • Chet Holmgren

The Thunder are on a seven-game winning streak. On Thursday, they eased past the Miami Heat, 115-101, despite a sluggish start, going an insane 32-8 run in the final period. Such is on-brand for the league-leading squad, though, who have also consistently ranked first in points allowed per game and defensive rating.

OKC first met Minnesota last January 1st, and won ,113-105. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander unleashed 40 points and collected four steals on 15-of-23 shooting, while Isaiah Hartenstein double-doubled with 15 points and 10 rebounds. As the NBA’s current top scorer, SGA dropping a boatload of points is almost automatic, and tomorrow will likely be the same. Hartenstein doesn’t have the same opportunities now with Chet Holmgren back, although as we’ve seen, they open up lanes for each other. First-time All-Star Jalen WIlliams, meanwhile, will continue being the main support for Gilgeous-Alexander.

Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, and Alex Caruso will lead the secondary weapons, and each can be dangerous in their own ways. Wiggins, for one, has been chipping in over 21 PPG in his last seven outings.

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HOME: Minnesota Timberwolves (30-25, 15-13 HOME)

Projected starting five:

  • Mike Conley
  • Anthony Edwards
  • Nickeil Alexander-Walker
  • Julius Randle (out) / Jaden McDaniels
  • Rudy Gobert

The Timberwolves are on a two-game skid. They got routed by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, 128-107, then lost in a close one to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, 103-101.

The guys have been on an up-and-down affair all season long as they simply cancel out any good stretch with a terrible one. It’s been looking like Anthony Edwards is carrying the workload far too often, sometimes to a fault. The 23-year-old had three-consecutive nights of 40 or more points earlier in the week, and the grind of that was quite obvious in the Bucks loss, as he went just 10-of-33 from the field. Now on zero-days rest after all that, and against the best defensive unit in the league, no less, ‘Antman’ is on an uphill battle. No. 2 scorer Julius Randle is also out until after the All-Star break

With such challenges, Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and even defensive ace Rudy Gobert will have to provide extra effort on offense–and of course, it’s easier said than done.

PICKS:

Spread: Timberwolves (+7.5)

Over/Under: Under (222)

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