Wizards 15-64 vs Timberwolves 54-24
When: Tuesday,April 9th, at 8:00p.m.
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
TV: MNMT, Bally Sports North Extra
Radio: The Team 980/ WFED 1500 AM, Wolves App/ iHeart Radio
Injury:
Wizards: Bilal Coulibaly (Out, Pelvic Contusion), Marvin Bagley III (Questionable, Knee), Tyus Jones (Out, Back), Landry Shamet (Out, Calf)
Timberwolves: Karl- Anthony Towns (Out, Left Meniscus)
Keep an eye on:
Anthony Edwards: is a given being that he's the best shooting guard in the game currently, due to his impact on both ends. Edwards comes in averaging 25.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.3 steals on 45.9 percent from the field, 36 percent from three point range and 83.1 percent from the charity stripe. He's a SERIOUS problem on the offensive end, HOWEVER, Edwards has a defensive rating of 108.8, tops in the NBA for shooting guards. He's the closest thing the NBA has had at the position to elite excellence on both ends of the floor since the late great Kobe Bryant. The Wizards guards and wings, will have to be very strategic in how they attack Ant Man and stay mentally and physically tough on the defensive end battling him if they are to have any hopes of winning tonight.
Continue to develop: is as essential as trying to win tonight. They go hand in hand at this point as the season winds down. It's about building good, winning habits and seeing which players the front office wants to hold on to moving forward. Also, for many players on the Washington, it's about securing a job if they haven't done so already. Jared Butler is a perfect example of playing well down the stretch of the season and going from a two way to a standard deal. Holding on to a NBA roster spot should be more than enough incentive to continue to grind in the gym and to grow as a player...even with this season being long over as far as the postseason goes.
Timberwolves team defense: is tops in the league, which means Washington will have to be deadly efficient offensively to make plays. Minnesota comes in to tonight's contest first in the NBA in points allowed (106.0) and defensive rating (110.3) while having FOUR players (Rudy Gobert, Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid, Karl-Anthony Towns) in the top 15 in the NBA in defensive win shares and three players in the top five in defensive rating, in Rudy Gobert (1st/ 105.7), Naz Reid (3rd/ 108.6) and Karl-Anthony Towns (5th/109.7). With all of this said, I haven't mentioned arguably Minnesota's top on ball defender in Jaden McDaniels. It won't be an easy task for Washington, it isn't for any team, although, playing smart, efficient and together gives Washington their best chance at stealing a late season win tonight.