T'Wolves (6-15) at Raptors (14-7): Preview
The Raptors must forget the bitterness of their defeat to the Cavaliers and focus on their next opponent. The T’Wolves are eminently beatable.
The Minnesota Timberwolves find themselves in an all-too-familiar position in the NBA standings. The team has not made the playoffs in 12 seasons and bids fair to extend that woeful and unwanted record.
This year’s T’Wolves were expected to contend for perhaps the eighth seed, and may yet. Teams with extremely young and unusually gifted players can often improve quickly, and the T’Wolves core certainly qualifies. But they are in a race against time and some tough Western Conference opponents. “Wait until next year” may once again be the cry of exhausted Minnesota fans.
Dec 6, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dribbles in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) at Target Center. The San Antonio Spurs beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 105-91. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
The T’Wolves point differential is minus_1.5, exactly the same as the New York Knicks, whose record is 12-9. Minnesota lost both ends of a home-and-home to New York by a combined total of 6 points. Are the Wolves getting outcoached? Perhaps, but their head man is Tom Thibodeau, veteran bench boss and martinet. He’s supposed to be good at his job, though fans of the Chicago Bulls, his former team, might beg to differ.
3 keys to Raptors victory
Dec 6, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng (5) gets the loose ball in the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs guard Nicolas Laprovittola (27) at Target Center. The San Antonio Spurs beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 105-91. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Conclusion & Final Score
The T’Wolves are better than their record – but their record is pretty bad, so they are a below-.500 team by any measure. I don’t believe they can tolerate the Raptors’ offensive pressure.
Toronto 114 – Minnesota 107
More from Raptors Rapture
This article originally appeared on 
