The Timberwolves look to right the ship as they head to the East Coast to take on the Charlotte Hornets.
The Timberwolves dropped a wild game Wednesday night against a depleted Lakers squad after climbing back from a double-digit deficit late in the game. After being in a malaise for much of the contest, they turned up the intensity to the tune of a 14-2 run late in the 4th quarter. Julius Randle drove in for a layup with 10.2 seconds left to give them a one-point advantage before Austin Reaves dashed the hopes of sneaking away with a win, swishing a floater at the buzzer to avoid a late collapse.
Minnesota has struggled greatly to find its rhythm early on, especially in the absence of Anthony Edwards, as both sides of the ball have looked disjointed to start the season. Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle have both had strong starts, especially without Ant, but the Wolves have struggled to find a consistent third option during the two-plus games he’s been out. The defensive side of the ball has been the real issue so far, as they have not put up much resistance on that side of the floor.
This will be the thing to watch in the matchup on Saturday with the Charlotte Hornets, who are 4th in offensive rating through four games this season. LaMelo Ball leads the charge with 26.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 9.5 assists as he will be bullet point number one on slowing down a Hornets team that has five players averaging double-digit points this season.
After dropping the last two, the Timberwolves have a great opportunity to get back in the win column, facing off against a Hornets team that has a tendency to play unserious basketball. Minnesota has some things to figure out overall, but the biggest thing is finding a way to win as Anthony Edwards is expected to miss another week plus with the hamstring injury.
A welcome break after the late-night starts this past week, the Wolves tip off at 5 PM CT in Charlotte at the Spectrum Center.
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