The 2022-23 NBA campaign has taken a turn for the worse for the Timberwolves as they’ll have to find a way to cope without their franchise star.
And it won’t get any easier for them as they’re scheduled to host the Grizzlies – the team who eliminated them in the playoffs last season.
After a three-game slate today, it’s going to be a jam-packed schedule with 13 games to be played to kick off the month of December.
So continue to read on below as SBOTOP breaks down the three most interesting matchups in the Association tomorrow.
Philadelphia Sixers @ Cleveland Cavaliers
The Sixers start their three-game road trip on Wednesday at Cleveland where they’ll take on the Cavaliers. Philadelphia are on a three-game winning streak, which is commendable because they’ve been short-handed lately.
James Harden (foot), Tyrese Maxey (foot), and Jaden Springer (quad) are all sidelined, but they haven’t skipped a beat since Tobias Harris and Shake Milton have stepped up.
Harris has posted norms of 23 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in his last five, while Milton is averaging 22.4 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per game in the same stretch.
There’s more good news for the Sixers as Joel Embiid is fit again. The Cameroonian center dropped 30 points in his first match back against the Hawks.
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are fresh from a loss against the Raptors as Donovan Mitchell was held to a season-low of eight points. Prior to the defeat, the third-seeded team in the East have won five of their last six.
Cleveland have several injured players too in Lamar Stevens (illness), Jarrett Allen (back), and Kevin Love (thumb).
Betting Tip – Cleveland Cavaliers Asian Handicap -4.00 @ 2.00
Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics
The Celtics have had a great start to the 2022-23 campaign, which is an understatement since they’re the best team in the league right now with their 17-4 record.
They’ve been getting win after win because they are firing on all cylinders, generating so many NBA 2022 highlights. So far they’ve averaged 120.9 points per 100 possessions – the top offense in history statistically – and they currently own the league’s top defence with a rating of 113.1.
Jayson Tatum is having a MVP-calibre campaign, while Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Derrick White, Marcus Smart, and Malcolm Brogdon are all flourishing too, plus you got guys like Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, and Luke Kornet doing well off the bench.
The Heat, on the other hand, have now won three straight following a four-game losing streak earlier this month. Bam Adebayo has been the catalyst for them, averaging 28.3 points per game in their recent victories.
Miami have been ravaged by the injury bug lately, although most of them are listed as day-to-day. Jimmy Butler (knee) and Duncan Robinson (ankle) will not play tomorrow, while Tyler Herro (ankle), Caleb Martin (illness), Nikola Jovic (foot), Gabe Vincent (knee), and Max Strus (shoulder) are all considered questionable.
Memphis Grizzlies @ Minnesota Timberwolves
It’s safe to say that the Timberwolves’ experiment hasn’t worked so far as they’ve dropped to 10-11 – hardly what they expected when they mortgaged their future to pair Karl-Anthony Towns with Rudy Gobert in the frontcourt this summer.
It’s been an odd fit for these top big men since both love to play inside. But with one of them out, perhaps it would open up more space for them on offence.
Karl-Anthony Towns is sidelined for around four to six weeks due to a calf strain. He’ll be a massive loss for Minnesota since he has averaged 20.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 21 starts this term.
With him out, the Timberwolves need more from Anthony Edwards – who is averaging 24.2 points per game over his last five. They would also need to improve their porous defence, especially after conceding 142 points against the Wizards on Monday.
Because of this, the NBA 2022 odds are backing the Grizzlies since they’ve averaged 129.5 points per game in their two-game winning run.
They’re fresh from a 127-123 victory over the Knicks as Ja Morant tied Marc Gasol for the most triple-doubles in franchise history after tallying 27 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds.
Similar to the Timberwolves, the Grizzlies have also missed the services of Desmond Bane, who’s out due to a big toe sprain. They’re not rushing him back because Dillon Brooks has been superb in his absence, posting 21.8 points per game in his last five.
Betting Tip – Memphis Grizzlies Asian Handicap -3.00 @ 1.90
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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