Halftime Report
After a tough defeat on the road their last time out, the Timberwolves look much better today on their home court. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead the Trail Blazers 63-42. This contest looks nothing like the tight 107-105 margin from the Timberwolves’ win over the Trail Blazers in their previous head-to-head back in April of 2023.
The Timberwolves came into the match with some extra motivation after the loss they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We’ll see if they’re able to flip the script or if it’ll just be more of the same.
Who’s Playing
Portland Trail Blazers @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Current Records: Portland 10-27, Minnesota 26-11
How To Watch
- When: Friday, January 12, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Target Center — Minneapolis, Minnesota
- TV: Bally Sports – North
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $21.00
What to Know
If the oddsmakers’ predictions hold true, the near future looks bright for the Timberwolves. They will look to defend their home court on Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers at 8:00 p.m. ET at Target Center. Given that both teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.
The Timberwolves fought the good fight in their overtime match against the Celtics on Wednesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They took a 127-120 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Celtics.
Despite their loss, the Timberwolves saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Karl-Anthony Towns, who dropped a double-double on 25 points and 13 rebounds, was perhaps the best of all.
Meanwhile, the oddsmakers predicted a rough game for the Trail Blazers and boy were they right. They were dealt a punishing 139-77 defeat at the hands of Oklahoma City on Thursday. The result shouldn’t come as a shock considering that’s the fewest points the Trail Blazers have scored all season.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, the Trail Blazers struggled to work together and finished the game with only 16 assists. They were smoked by their opponents in that department as the Thunder racked up 41 assists.
Minnesota’s loss dropped their record down to 26-11. As for Portland, they have been struggling recently, as they’ve lost five of their last six games, which put a noticeable dent in their 10-27 record this season.
This contest is shaping up to be a blowout: The Timberwolves just can’t miss this season, having made 48.6% of their shots per game. It’s a different story for the Trail Blazers, though, as they’ve only made 43.3% of their shots per game this season. Given the Timberwolves’ sizeable advantage in that area, the Trail Blazers will need to find a way to close that gap.
The Timberwolves couldn’t quite finish off the Trail Blazers in their previous matchup back in April of 2023 and fell 107-105. Can the Timberwolves avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We’ll find out soon enough.
Odds
Minnesota is a big 15.5-point favorite against Portland, according to the latest NBA odds.
The line has drifted a bit towards the Timberwolves, as the game opened with the Timberwolves as a 14-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 221.5 points.
See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Minnesota has won 6 out of their last 10 games against Portland.
- Apr 02, 2023 – Portland 107 vs. Minnesota 105
- Jan 04, 2023 – Minnesota 113 vs. Portland 106
- Dec 12, 2022 – Portland 133 vs. Minnesota 112
- Dec 10, 2022 – Portland 124 vs. Minnesota 118
- Mar 07, 2022 – Minnesota 124 vs. Portland 81
- Mar 05, 2022 – Minnesota 135 vs. Portland 121
- Jan 25, 2022 – Minnesota 109 vs. Portland 107
- Dec 12, 2021 – Minnesota 116 vs. Portland 111
- Mar 14, 2021 – Minnesota 114 vs. Portland 112
- Mar 13, 2021 – Portland 125 vs. Minnesota 121
