7 p.m. vs. New Orleans • Target Center • FSN, 830-AM
Gameday preview: Timberwolves vs. New Orleans
January 23, 2021 at 4:53AM
Pelicans also fighting to stay afloat
Wolves update: The Wolves faced New Orleans in one of their final games before the 2019-20 NBA season halted because of coronavirus. The Wolves went 1-2 against New Orleans last season. … The Wolves entered Friday's game against Atlanta with the second-worst net rating in the league (-8.9) ahead of only Sacramento. The Wolves had the 26th-rated defense and 27th-rated offense in terms of points per possession. The Wolves did have two matchups against the Pelicans following the series of trades President Gersson Rosas pulled at the deadline last season, and the Wolves went 1-1 in those games. In the victory on March 3, Malik Beasley had 28 points on 11-for-13 shooting.
Pelicans update: The Pelicans enter Saturday's game having lost seven of their past eight. '… Zion Williamson faced the Wolves twice last season and averaged 24 points in those games. Williamson is averaging 23.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He is taking only 0.3 three-pointers per game and shooting just 25% from deep. He is also only shooting 66% from the free-throw line. … Brandon Ingram, last season's Most Improved Player, is averaging 22.9 points and shooting 38% from three-point range. The Pelicans enter Saturday with the 17th-most efficient offense and 24th-rated defense. … They rank first defensive rebounding percentage in grabbing .770 of all available defensive rebounds and are third in offensive rebound percentage at .298. By contrast, the Wolves are the worst in defensive rebounding percentage, at .704.
CHRIS HINE
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The Vikings are hitting the road with a new kicker and long snapper, but Jacksonville may be without their starting quarterback and its defense is struggling to stop the run.
