Timberwolves vs. Wizards: Odds, injuries, and what to watch for

The Minnesota Timberwolves will face the Washington Wizards for the second time in two weeks on Friday night at Target Center.

The Minnesota Timberwolves enter a winnable Friday night contest with the Washington Wizards holding a 7-4 record.

The Wizards are just 2-7 on the season, with only victories over Oklahoma City and Detroit to their name. They’re on a three-game losing streak and appear to be one of the worst teams in the entire league.

Bradley Beal is still the clear leader and best player on this team, although even he has struggled compared to his lofty standards.

While he’s averaging 28.1 points and 6.4 assists per game, Beal is shooting just 32.1 percent from beyond the arc and not exactly portraying a picture of efficiency. Then again, he’s carrying the load virtually by himself, with Thomas Bryant and rookie Rui Hachimura the only other players performing at or above expectations.

The Wolves are coming off of a win in Detroit on Monday in the second half of a back-to-back and an impressive victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. Friday night brings a real opportunity to improve to 8-4 on the season ahead of a difficult matchup against the Houston Rockets on Saturday.

Timberwolves odds against the Wizards

• Favorite: Wolves (-7)
• Over/under: 240
• Moneyline: -270 Minnesota/+230 Washington
• Odds courtesy of The Action Network. Displayed odds current as of Friday at 10:00 a.m. CT.

Tickets, TV and streaming info for Timberwolves vs. Wizards

• Television: Fox Sports North
• Radio: 830 WCCO
• Stream: Fubo.tv offers streaming options
• Tickets: StubHub offers ticketing options

What to watch for in Wolves vs. Wizards

The Wolves welcomed Jeff Teague back into the rotation on Wednesday and he had a huge game off the bench, with 18 points and six assists in just 23 minutes.

Will head coach Ryan Saunders re-insert Teague into the starting lineup and send Jarrett Culver to the bench? Or will Teague serve as just one member of this massive group of wing players rotating through and occupying anywhere from three to four spots on the floor at once?

In the absence of Teague and Shabazz Napier, the grouping of Culver, Andrew Wiggins, Treveon Graham, Jake Layman, Robert Covington, and Josh Okogie have all taken turns initating offense and filling several slots in the rotation. If Teague and eventually Napier are added to that group, expect them all to play between 20 and 25 minutes, save for Wiggins and Covington, who will surely earn more playing time.

Having too many guards and wings is a good problem to have, and it finally appears as though it’s become an issue for the Wolves.

Injury Report

The Wizards will be without John Wall for the foreseeable future, and Ian Mahinmi remains out with a strained Achilles’ tendon.

The Wolves have both Napier (hamstring) and Jordan Bell (shoulder) listed as doubtful for this game. Don’t expect to see either of them on the court in this one.

We’ll be back after the game with player grades and with you throughout the weekend as the Wolves face the Rockets on Saturday evening.