By Bijan Todd (@bijan_todd)
The Washington Wizards (15-64) are up north in Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves (54-24) in their penultimate road game of the 2023-24 season on Tuesday night. Here is everything you need to know:
Where: Target Center (Minneapolis, MN)
When: 8:00 p.m. ET
TV: Monumental Sports Network
Radio: Team 980 & The Wizards App
Injury Report:
WIZARDS:
Anthony Gill (right knee soreness – questionable)
Tristan Vukcevic (left knee soreness – questionable)
Kyle Kuzma (right ankle sprain – questionable)
Richaun Holmes (left toe contusion – questionable)
Johnny Davis (left hip contusion – questionable)
Bilal Coulibaly (right wrist fracture – out)
Tyus Jones (lumbosacral sprain – out)
Landry Shamet (left calf strain – out)
Marvin Bagley III (right knee sprain – out)
TIMBERWOLVES:
Jaylen Clark (achilles tendon rupture recovery – out)
Karl-Anthony Towns (left meniscus tear – out)
DENI’S HOT STREAK
Deni Avdija looks to be one of Washington’s hottest players as the 2023-24 season draws to a close. Not only is the fourth-year wing averaging career-highs in virtually every statistical category (including minutes, points, rebounds, assists, and shooting percentage), he’s also coming off the second-best game of his season on Sunday against Toronto.
Though the Wizards lost 130-122 up north, Avdija put up a game-high 32 points (the second-best mark of his season), 10 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals off 58% shooting from the field. It marks the third time in the last four games Avdija has scored at least 20 points.
Avdija’s ascension into his current form has even garnered serious praise from some of the league’s best players, including an NBA champion and two-time MVP.
“I think he’s going to be a great player, two-way player,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said after the Wizards’ 117-113 win over Milwaukee earlier this month. “Every year he’s getting better…Smart, understands the game of basketball. I wish him the best.”
POOLE PARTY
Jordan Poole has been enjoying increased production since his move to starting point guard in the wake of Tyus Jones’ injury. Sunday’s contest in Toronto continued that trend.
Poole, like Avdija, finished a dominant double-double with 29 points, 12 assists, four rebounds and two steals while shooting 44% from the floor. It was his third straight game scoring at least 20 points, and the sixth time in the last nine contests in which he’s dished out at least eight assists.
With Washington again facing a heap of injuries, the bulk of the ballhandling duties will likely fall on Poole’s shoulders again on Tuesday.
MINNESOTA’S DUAL THREAT
Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves center and one of the best deep-shooting big men in the NBA, will miss Tuesday’s contest as he continues his recovery from a left meniscus tear. That’s good news for Washington.
The bad news is that Minnesota still boasts a tandem of two of the best players at their respective positions in the entire league: guard Anthony Edwards and center Rudy Gobert. The duo went off the last time these two teams faced each other, a 118-107 win for the Timberwolves in D.C. in January: they combined for 57 points, 19 rebounds and six assists.
As hard as it may be, limiting Edwards and Gobert will be key for Washington on Tuesday night. They’ve been a key reason for Minnesota’s No. 1 seed in the Western Conference this season.