The Minnesota Timberwolves faced the Portland Trail Blazers on the second game of a back-to-back series in which the team defeated the Utah Jazz, traveled to Portland, Oregon, and played the very next night in a new city. As has been the case all season, the second of two consecutive games for the Timberwolves is certainly not a strength of the team this season, and the Timberwolves lost by a score of 124-118.
And now, just like the old Steely Dan song, the Timberwolves must go back, Jack, and do it again.
We can only hope that the Timberwolves will play just as aggressively, and have the same energy as their first confrontation, but also hope that the outcome will result in a Minnesota Timberwolves victory. So what must the Minnesota Timberwolves accomplish to lead them to a W in the rematch?
Bench play
One of the strengths of the Minnesota Timberwolves roster so far this season has been the play of the bench. But in the first game between the Timberwolves and the Trail Blazers, the two teams had a stalemate from their benches. For the Trail Blazers, four players scored, all but one had multiple rebounds, and all but one had a +/- that was a double-digit positive.
For the Timberwolves, only two players scored off the bench, only one had multiple rebounds, and all four had a negative +/-, with three ending the game with a double-digit negative value. The Timberwolves need more oomph from their bench and could get a boost in that department if the team can get Jordan McLaughlin back on the court.
Rebounds
It was obvious that the margin of victory for the Portland Trail Blazers was their ability to rule the boards. The Portland Trail Blazers ended the game with 45 rebounds, including 11 offensive rebounds. The Minnesota Timberwolves ended the game with just 28 rebounds, and only four offensive rebounds.
The Timberwolves need Rudy Gobert to reassert himself as the dominating presence that he has been of late. A rested Rudy Gobert should be able to do exactly that.
Shut down Trail Blazers stars
The Portland Trail Blazers backcourt of PG Damian Lillard and SG Anfernee Simmons had a scoring fest on the Minnesota Timberwolves, putting up combined 67 points, six rebounds, nine assists, and two steals. If the Timberwolves expect to win, they need to hold the two Trail Blazer guards to a combined 50 points or less.
Ideally, the combined output of PG D’Angelo Russell and SG Anthony Edwards should outperform the Trail Blazers’ backcourt. That could translate into Anthony Edwards playing one of his best games of the season, and D’Angelo Russell sustaining the excellent effort he has been putting out in recent games.
In the end, the Timberwolves are rested and have a chance to end up with the win in this one. But it won’t be easy, and will certainly need more than just showing up and hoping for a different outcome.