Monday, 8:00 p.m., Vivint Smart Home Arena
Where to Watch: FOX Sports North
Listen: 830 WCCO
The Wolves are hoping to snap a two-game losing streak on Monday night against the Jazz.
Minnesota goes into the game with a 7-5 record, tied for fifth in the West. Utah is 6-7, in ninth.
A few tidbits heading into Monday night’s game:
- This is the last road game in a three-game stretch for the Wolves. They host the Spurs on Wednesday.
- Utah is allowing just 99.6 points per game, fifth in the league.
- The Wolves have six players averaging 9.5 or more points per game.
Last Matchup . . .
The two teams last faced off on Oct. 20 at the Target Center. The Wolves came away with a 100-97 win thanks to 21 points and five rebounds from Andrew Wiggins. Karl-Anthony Towns added 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks while shooting 7-for-12 from the field. Jamal Crawford led the second unit with 17 points, shooting 3-for-5 from deep. Jimmy Butler had 13 points, seven rebounds and five steals. Jeff Teague and Nemanja Bjelica had 10 points each. The Wolves shot an impressive 21-for-26 (80.8 percent) from the free-throw line.
Rodney Hood let Utah with 20 points. Ricky Rubio added 19 points, 10 assists and two steals. Derrick Favors scored 16 points, and Joe Ingles had 14. Rudy Gobert had a 10-point, 13-rebound double-double. Utah turned the ball over 19 times, four coming from Rubio.
Coming Off Of . . .
The Wolves are coming off a 118-110 road loss to the Suns on Saturday. Wiggins led the Wolves with 27 points. Butler added 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists, shooting 14-for-16 from the free-throw line. Towns and Taj Gibson combined for 33 points and 23 rebounds. The Wolves shot just 4-for-20 (20 percent) from the 3-point line.
Utah is coming off a 114-106 home win over the Nets on Saturday. Rookie Donovan Mitchell led Utah with 26 points, shooting 10-for-18 from the field. Favors added 24 points and 12 rebounds. Hood led the bench with 19 points, 15 coming from the 3-point line. Ingles finished with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists. Rubio added 10 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and four steals.
Key Matchup: Jeff Teague vs. Ricky Rubio
The Wolves new point guard vs. the old.
In his first season in Minnesota, Teague is averaging 13 points, 7.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 39 percent from the 3-point line.
Injury Report
Jazz:
Rubio is averaging 14.5 points and a career-low 5.8 assists per game. He’s shooting 38.2 percent from the field and 28.3 percent from the 3-point line.
Rudy Gobert (tibia), Joe Johnson (wrist) and Dante Exum (shoulder) are out.
Timberwolves:
Justin Patton (foot) is out. Gorgui Dieng (finger) is questionable.
Projected Starters
Jazz:
PG – Rubio, SG – Mitchell, SF – Sefolosha, PF – Ingles, C - Favors
Timberwolves:
PG – Teague, SG – Wiggins, SF – Butler, PF – Gibson, C - Towns