The Minnesota Timberwolves, with a 43-19 record, will face the 35-28 Indiana Pacers in an inter-conference showdown this Thursday. After a recent home win over the Portland Trail Blazers, the Timberwolves prepare for a challenging road trip beginning Friday.
Wolves Begin Visiting Streak
Anthony Edwards, the 22-year-old guard, has shown his scoring prowess, reaching 30 points in two of his last five games. Despite a modest 13-point performance on Monday, he maintains an impressive average of 26.1 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game on the season.
In their previous meeting with the Pacers, Edwards scored an impressive 37 points. On the other hand, Karl-Anthony Towns has experienced a slowdown in scoring, with four consecutive games of 19 or fewer points.
The 28-year-old center scored 14 points in Monday's game, maintaining a 22.1 points per game average.
Jaden McDaniels, the 23-year-old power forward, has contributed double-digits in two of his last five contests, boasting a 10.5 PPG average on 50% shooting.
On the road, the Timberwolves have been formidable, securing a 4-1 record in their last five games, including a remarkable win over the Bucks.
They covered the spread in every game during this period. Averaging 113.3 points per game this season, they rank 20th in the league.
His defensive prowess is evident, conceding 105 points or fewer in three of his last five games and holding opponents to an average of 106.5 points, leading the NBA in this defensive category.
Pacers Pick Up Pace
Returning home from a demanding three-game road trip, the Pacers have experienced some inconsistency, posting a 2-3 record in their last five games.
Although they currently sit in eighth place in the conference, they are just 1.5 games away from securing fourth place. In a somewhat disappointing turn of events, the heavily favored Pacers suffered a 117-105 loss to the Spurs in their recent away matchup on Sunday.
However, they quickly bounced back as underdogs by five points, securing a resounding 137-120 victory over the Mavericks on Tuesday night. In the last five meetings, the Pacers managed to cover the spread twice.
Pascal Siakam, the 29-year-old power forward, has consistently hit the 20-point mark in three of his last five appearances, showing reliability since arriving via trade last month.
Averaging 21.6 points per game and shooting a remarkable 53% from the field, Siakam has become a key asset to the team.
Myles Turner, the 27-year-old center, showed efficiency by shooting over 50% in three of his last five games, contributing 20 points in Tuesday's win and maintaining an average of 17.3 points per game.
In their recent home decisions, the Pacers boast a 3-2 record, including a dominant win against the Pelicans.
They successfully covered the spread in three of those games. With an impressive season average of 123.5 points, placing them at the top, the Pacers have demonstrated their offensive prowess.
However, their defensive efforts have been less consistent, conceding at least 120 points in three of the last five games and allowing an average of 122 points, ranking them 28th in the league.
