Timberwolves at Thunder game preview: Broadcast info, injury report and analysis

at Oklahoma City Thunder, Paycom Center, 7 p.m. Tuesday

TV; radio: BSN; iHeartRadio app

Stats and analytics: Tap here.

Odds: Thunder by 4.

Pregame reading: Karl-Anthony Towns could be the next addition to the NBA's 50-40-90 club.

Opening bell: The Wolves have a chance to pick up a game on one of the teams jockeying for position with them atop the Western Conference standings. The Wolves hold a 3½-game lead over the Thunder entering Tuesday's matchup.

Watch him: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has entered the MVP conversation for the Thunder this season. He is fourth in scoring with 30.8 points per game and leads the NBA with 2.8 steals per game. That's one more than the player in second place, Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell.

Injuries: Both teams had key contributors miss their previous games. For Minnesota, Karl-Anthony Towns sat out Saturday's win over Sacramento because of left knee soreness. For Oklahoma City, Josh Giddey missed Saturday's loss to the Lakers with an ankle injury. Both are listed as questionable.

Forecast: The Wolves defeated the Thunder 106-103 on Nov. 28 at Target Center when Anthony Edwards left because of a hip injury. Rudy Gobert played one of this best defensive games of the season that night in helping to limit former Minnehaha Academy star Chet Holmgren to 16 points on 6-for-20 shooting. The Wolves will need Gobert at the peak of his defensive powers again to contain a multifaceted Thunder team that is sixth in offensive rating.

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