Minnesota takes on Utah and will both be gunning for a victory on 12/26/2020 at 9:00 PM when they meet in a game matchup.
MINNESOTA vs UTAH
When: 12/26/2020 9:00 PM
Where:
| ROT | TEAM | PS | OU | ML |
| 516 | MINNESOTA | -7.5 (-110) | 225.5 (-110) | 250 -330 |
| 516 | UTAH |
TV: 9:00 PM
LINE: -7.5
PREDICTION: UTAH , MINNESOTA
Oddsmakers currently have the UTAH listed as -7.5 point favorites versus the MINNESOTA, while the game’s total is sitting at 225.5.
| Tony’s Pick | TEAM |
| MINNESOTA | 250 |
After season-opening victories and a two-day Christmas break, the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz will square off against each other Saturday night.
This will be the first away test for the Timberwolves, who begin a three-game road trip against the Jazz after defeating Detroit at home on Wednesday.
Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota to the 111-101 win with 22 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. The inspired effort was his first game since his mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, died of complications from COVID-19 in April. The Timberwolves held a moment of silence and played a tribute video in her honor prior to tipoff.
Towns said his mother’s passing has changed him forever. He’s still taking his new reality “moment by moment.”
“You may see me smiling and stuff, but that Karl died on April 13th,” Towns said after the win. “He’s never coming back. I don’t remember that man. I don’t know that man. You’re talking to the physical me, but my soul has been killed off a long time ago.”
Minnesota didn’t hold a lead until Towns put the team ahead 98-97 with 3:38 remaining. The Timberwolves had trailed by 12 points in the third quarter.
Malik Beasley complemented Towns’ performance with a team-high 23 points. Rookie Anthony Edwards, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft, made his NBA debut with 15 points. D’Angelo Russell contributed 18 points while Jarrett Culver tallied 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Utah began the season with an impressive 120-100 blowout victory at Portland that same night.
Days after signing a $205 million contract extension, Rudy Gobert had an excellent season premiere with 20 points and 17 rebounds to lead the visitors.
“It’s fun when we play the way we played (Wednesday night),” Gobert said. “That’s the way we’ve been practicing every single day. It’s being unselfish.”
The Jazz spent much of the game shooting far from the center and the basket, amassing 50 3-point attempts. Five players drained at least three of Utah’s 19 3-pointers, with Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell each hitting four 3-pointers. Mitchell finished with 20 points, Conley scored 18 and Bogdanovic added 15 in his first outing since suffering a surgery-requiring wrist injury on March 9.
Jordan Clarkson resumed his strong bench role, leading Jazz reserves with 15 points and seven rebounds. Joe Ingles chipped in 14 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Derrick Favors totaled 10 points and seven boards after re-signing with Utah following one season away with New Orleans.
Utah’s defense stymied Damian Lillard, who finished with nine points after a scoreless first half. The Jazz led by as many as 23 in the first half and took a 65-44 lead into the break.
“I’m not saying we’re going to go out there and keep guys like Dame and Steph (Curry) and (Devin Booker) and all those guys to nine points in the game or whatever,” Mitchell said. “It’s about making it tough and being able to stay solid, and then also trusting that you have each other’s backs.”
Minnesota earned a victory in its only trip to Utah last season, a 112-102 win that snapped a four-game losing streak in Vivint Arena.
T-Wolves guards Jordan McLaughlin and Jaylen Nowell are listed as day-to-day. Utah doesn’t have a player on the injury report.
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