Boston Celtics at Minnesota Timberwolves 2/21/20: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Daily Fantasy
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Boston Celtics at Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
The Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves play for the first time this season in an intraconference matchup.
The Celtics come into the game with a 38-16 record which has them as the No. 3 seed in the East. Boston has won 11 of its last 13 games including an impressive 141-133 win in double overtime over the LA Clippers. The Celtics are 15-11 on the road this season.
Minnesota has a record of 16-37 which is the second-worst record in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves have lost 15 of their last 16 games. Minnesota is 7-20 at home this season.
The Timberwolves and Celtics meet again on March 29.
TV Schedule
Date: 2/21/20
Time: 8 PM ET
Arena: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Channel: FS North, NBC Sports Boston
Injuries
Celtics: Kemba Walker (O), Robert Williams III (O)
Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns (O), Jake Layman (O)
Boston Celtics Starting Lineup
PG: Marcus Smart
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Gordon Hayward
C: Daniel Theis
Celtics Analysis
Boston entered the All-Star break as one of the league’s hottest teams. The Celtics have won 11 of their last 13 games and that includes a seven-game winning streak that was ended by a loss to Houston.
Boston has been one of the league’s top teams as they currently have the third-best record in the East as well as the fourth-best record in the NBA.
The Celtics picked up a big win before the break as they beat the LA Clippers 141-133 in double-overtime. Boston was led by Jayson Tatum who finished with 39 points and nine rebounds while shooting 14-23 from the field.
They also had a big performance from Marcus Smart who had a 31 points on 10-20 shooting.
Boston is 1.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors for the No. 2 seed in the East. They have 28 games remaining and according to Tankathon the league’s 12th hardest schedule.
The Celtics come into Friday’s game with the No. 5 offense and No. 3 defense. Boston is one of three teams to have both top-five offenses and defenses.
Celtics Quick Links: Celtics Starting Lineup, Celtics Roster, Celtics Depth Chart, Celtics Injuries, Celtics News, Celtics Schedule
Minnesota Timberwolves Starting Lineup
PG: D’Angelo Russell
SG: Malik Beasley
SF: Josh Okogie
PF: Juan Hernangomez
C: James Johnson
Wolves Analysis
To say that the Minnesota Timberwolves are struggling would be an understatement. They have lost 16 of their last 18 which includes the two-game losing streak their currently on.
Minnesota at one point was 10-8 overall but they have gone 6-29 since then.
The Timberwolves decided to trade for D’Angelo Russell and in the process shipped former No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins to Golden State. The move was something the organization had been trying to pull off for some time.
Minnesota was defeated in its last game before All-Star break as they lost to the Charlotte Hornets 115-108. The Timberwolves were outscored 65-42 in the second half of the loss.
They were led by Malik Beasley who finished with 28 points on 11-25 shooting. Russell contributed 26 points and 11 assists in what was his second game with the team.
Minnesota is 0-2 since the trade for Russell.
The Timberwolves come into Friday’s game with the NBA’s No. 23 offense and No. 16 defense.
Timberwolves Quick Links: Wolves Starting Lineup, Wolves Roster, Wolves Depth Chart, Wolves Injuries, Wolves News, Wolves Schedule
Key Player Matchups
D’Angelo Russell vs. Marcus Smart
A matchup between one of the best scoring point guards in the NBA vs one of the best defenders at the point guard position. Whoever gets the best of the matchup between Russell and Smart could decide if Friday’s game is close or a blowout.
In two game vs Boston as a member of the Warriors, Russell averaged 17 points and six assists.
Jason Tatum vs. Juan Hernangomez
Jason Tatum has been on fire lately. In his last 10 games, he averaging 27.3 points and 7.1 rebounds while having shooting splits of 48.4/44.8/72.7. He has become a threat to score 30 on every night and with Walker out the offense will likely go through him.
Daily Fantasy
For the Celtics, the top option in daily fantasy is Jason Tatum who is projected to score 41.6 points while costing $8.7k. The Timberwolves top fantasy choice is D’Angelo Russell who is projected to score 39.8 points and has a price of $8.6k.
If looking for a cheaper option then consider Jaylen Brown who only costs $5.7k but has a projection of 34.9 points.
Bet on Matchup
If you’re in Pennsylvania, you can bet on this matchup. Sports betting is legal in PA. Our top-rated online sportsbook bonus offers can be found in our articles: Fanduel Sportsbook promo code, DraftKings Sportsbook promo code & Pointsbet promo code.
