What To Watch For: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Utah Jazz
By Ben Beecken
The need for composure
It’s difficult to underscore just how important this game is for both teams. The Wolves are now in the No. 5 spot in the West and are just a half-game behind the San Antonio Spurs, who are in a tough matchup against the Houston Rockets on Sunday afternoon.
The Jazz, for their part, have slid back into a seventh-place tie with New Orleans, although their only a half-game behind the Wolves and would leapfrog them with a win in Minneapolis.
Just under a month ago, the Wolves saw both Towns and Teague ejected in Salt Lake City. KAT was frustrated first by the Jazz, receiving what appeared to be an undeserved technical for battling in the post, and then by the officials, receiving his second technical for complaining excessively.
This is obviously not an option in Sunday’s game; the Wolves need Towns to have a huge game if they are to win, thereby maintaining their place in fifth, and possibly even improving to fourth-place, in the conference. With Butler remaining out and Teague questionable to play, Towns and Wiggins will be the main sources of scoring for Minnesota.
In the first two matchups against the Jazz, Towns averaged 22 points and 11.5 rebounds. He was having another great performance with 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting in just 20 minutes prior to being ejected last time around.
The Wolves need to stay calm, cool, and collected on Sunday evening. The home crowd will no doubt be rowdy on Easter evening, but the Wolves need to make sure that they keep their heads and not fall into the trap of muddying up the game.