vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, Target Center, 7 p.m. Friday
TV; radio: B.S.N.; iHeartRadio app
Statistics and analysis: Tap here.
Jerry Zgoda Preview:
Opening bell: The teams complete their two-game series in two weeks. The Wolves lost 113-104 in overtime at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on March 8. The Cavaliers played without star Donovan Mitchell, but Darius Garland scored 34 points. The Wolves (47-22) won five of seven games before a 115-112 home loss to Denver on Tuesday that put them behind Oklahoma City and the Nuggets in third place in the Western Conference.
Look at him: Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen recorded his 31st double-double this season – and third in a row – with a career-high 33 points and a game-high 18 rebounds in beating the Wolves with a 16-7 advantage in overtime. Allen scored 10 of those 16 points in overtime. The Cavs are 23-8 when Allen reaches a double-double.
Injuries: For the Cavs, Mitchell (nasal fracture), Evan Mobley (ankle), Max Strus (knee) and Dean Wade (knee) are absent. For the Wolves, Anthony Edwards (finger), Rudy Gobert (rib) and Naz Reid (rib) are questionable and Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) is out.
Forecast: The Wolves lost in overtime last time out to Cleveland, a night after a stirring 113-111 victory at Indiana. They now had two days of rest before facing the Cavs (43-26). Both playoff-bound teams lack star power, but if Edwards plays, the Wolves have the edge.
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