Minnesota Timberwolves vs Oklahoma City Thunder: Timberwolves Look to Secure Another Victory

• The Minnesota Timberwolves look to secure another victory over a seemingly weak Western Conference rival.
• The Oklahoma City Thunder want to prove themselves against a potential Western Conference powerhouse.
• The Timberwolves are currently 1-0 against the Thunder in the season series.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Oklahoma City Thunder Predictions and Picks

It's odd that two teams play each other in quick succession to open a season, but the Thunder and Timberwolves won't mind. While Oklahoma put up a good fight in their first meeting, the Timberwolves will come out as the victor again because of their excellent interior presence.

Picks:

Minnesota Timberwolves def. Oklahoma City Thunder

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Head-to-Head: Minnesota Timberwolves vs Oklahoma City Thunder

Injury Report

MIN: Minnesota must exploit mismatches

The Minnesota Timberwolves have already defeated the Thunder once this season and it was due to their excellent interior play. They need to continue to attack the Thunder big men, in order to create more opportunities for their shooters. In their last victory over the Thunder, Rudy Gobert dominated the paint. But the Timberwolves failed to capitalize on the three-pointers that were created. They shot 26.3% from three-point range, 10 of 38 on the night. Oklahoma City are sure to come back with the intent on revenge in this game, so Minnesota need to keep them down with their shooting. If they can't, the Thunder will have every opportunity to take the game.

Timberwolves Key Player: (C) Rudy Gobert

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been successful through their early season experiment with Rudy Gobert. Brought in to be a defensive stopper, Gobert's best attribute since joining the Timberwolves has been his aggression on offense. In his first meeting with the Thunder, Gobert put on an excellent performance. In 34 minutes of play, he posted 23 points and 16 rebounds in 34 minutes of play. His play in the paint was a welcome sight, complementing Towns' perimeter game perfectly. Especially against one of the league's weakest frontcourt units, Rudy Gobert needs to be aggressive in taking it to the rim. If Gobert establishes himself in the paint early, Minnesota will be in a great position to win.

OKC: Can the Thunder role players step up?

The Oklahoma City Thunder put up a good fight when they took on the Minnesota Timberwolves last time out. But it was their inability to find efficient production outside of their star men that doomed their chances at a win. In their last meeting with Minnesota, the combination of starters Kenrich Williams, Aleksej Pokusevski, and Luguentz Dort, combined to shoot just 8 of 29 from the field. They did contribute 19 rebounds, but their struggle to make shots was a sign of their eventual loss. Giddey and Gilgeous-Alexander lead this team, but the Thunder role players must be clinical with their opportunities if they hope to beat the Timberwolves. They don't have the depth to compete with Minnesota, so there's little room for error.

Thunder Key Player: (G) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

If there was one standout in the last meeting between the Thunder and the Timberwolves last time out it was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. With his versatility on both ends of the court, he gave the Minnesota guards a night of trouble. Gilgeous-Alexander put on a show. He posted 32 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks in 37 minutes. He grew as the game went on, scoring 5, 7, and then 12 points in the first three quarters. There wasn't a guard on the Timberwolves' side that could contain him, and it doesn't look to change in this coming meeting. If Gilgeous-Alexander can find better opportunities for his teammates, and have them convert on them, Oklahoma City can find a win.

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