The Minnesota Timberwolves are back in action on Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a matinee contest against the Atlanta Hawks.
After Friday night’s postponement due to health and safety protocols, the Minnesota Timberwolves haven’t played in five days.
At this stage, only three Wolves players remain out: Juancho Hernangomez, Ricky Rubio, and Karl-Anthony Towns. Only Towns has announced that he tested positive, although the Wolves confirmed that “multiple” players returned positive tests, and The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski says that Hernangomez is now in isolation for 10 days.
That means that the Wolves will be in action with a limited roster, and the rotation will look drastically different than it did when the Wolves blew a double-digit fourth-quarter lead against the Grizzlies last Thursday.
Atlanta improved their roster immensely this offseason but has several injuries that have hampered them of late. The Hawks started the season 3-0 but now sit at just 5-7 and have lost six out of seven games, including losses to below-.500 teams New York, Cleveland, and Charlotte (twice).
Minnesota Timberwolves odds at Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks are eight-point favorites according to The Action Network. The fact that Atlanta is favored to win isn’t a surprise, but the eight points is a bit of a shock.
Then again, afternoon road games are tough, and Atlanta playing at home on MLK Day and wearing jerseys emblazoned with “MLK” across the chest will add another layer of difficulty.
TV and streaming info for Minnesota Timberwolves at Atlanta Hawks
- Television: Fox Sports North, NBATV (out-of-market)
- Radio: 830 WCCO
- Stream: Fubo.tv offers streaming options
What to watch for in Minnesota Timberwolves at Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are middle-of-the-pack in a lot of categories so far this season despite the key injuries that have impacted their depth. Fortunately for them, their best two players, Trae Young and John Collins, have yet to miss a game.
Atlanta is No. 11 in the NBA in 3-point attempts per game but sits only No. 25 in percentage. Young has struggled from deep, hitting on just 26.5 percent of his 3-point tries. But he’s also been impactful in the paint, attempting 48.4 percent of his field goal attempts from within 10 feet of the basket, up from just 25 percent last year.
That’s a problem for the Wolves, who have struggled with blow-bys on the perimeter and a lack of interior help, especially without Towns patrolling the paint.
Somewhat surprisingly, No. 2 in total rebounds so far this year after finishing No. 23 in that category last year. Defensive rebounding continues to be an issue for Minnesota, and it’s another category that will be a challenge without Towns and Hernangomez.
Look for the Wolves to start Jarred Vanderbilt and possibly Naz Reid, trying to replace some rebounding and offense. Ed Davis would be the first big off the bench, and both Josh Okogie and Anthony Edwards could get run at the 4. Jake Layman is back, too, so he’ll surely get a chance to work his way back into the now-depleted rotation.
Injury report for Minnesota Timberwolves at Atlanta Hawks
The Wolves are without Towns, Hernangomez, and Rubio due to health and safety protocols. Layman has returned after welcoming a new baby into his family.
Okogie is listed as probable with his lingering hamstring issue, but has played in the last several games and should be available.
Atlanta is still without offseason acquisition Danilo Gallinari, who has appeared in only two games so far this year. Bogdan Bogdanovic and Kris Dunn were both added this offseason but are also out due to injury. Cam Reddish is listed as questionable for the game.
We’ll be back afterward with player grades. Enjoy day basketball!