3rd Quarter Report
Down three at the end of the second quarter, the Timberwolves now have the lead. Sitting on a score of 72-66, they have looked like the better team, but there’s still one more quarter to play.
The Timberwolves came into the contest with some extra motivation after the defeat 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
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Current Records: Cleveland 43-26, Minnesota 47-22
How To Watch
- When: Friday, March 22, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Target Center — Minneapolis, Minnesota
- TV: NBATV
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $50.00
What to Know
The Cleveland Cavaliers will head out on the road to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday at Target Center. Both teams are looking to take out their frustrations on one another after having lost close ones recently.
The defenses reigned supreme when the Cavaliers and the Heat played on Wednesday, rewarding bettors who took the risk on the low 207-point over/under. Cleveland fell just short of the Heat by a score of 107-104. The Cavaliers didn’t live up to their potential and found themselves falling short of the advantage oddsmakers thought they had coming into the game.
Jarrett Allen put forth a good effort for the losing side as he dropped a double-double on 25 points and 20 rebounds.
Even though they lost, the Cavaliers were working as a unit and finished the game with 30 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as the Heat only posted 19 assists.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Tuesday. They fell just short of Denver by a score of 115-112. The close contest was extra heartbreaking for the Timberwolves, who almost overcame an 18 point deficit.
The Timberwolves’ defeat shouldn’t obscure the performances of Anthony Edwards, who scored 30 points along with eight assists and eight rebounds, and Jaden McDaniels who scored 26 points along with six rebounds and two blocks. McDaniels continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he’s played.
Cleveland dropped their record down to 43-26 with that defeat, which was their third straight at home. That poor showing could be blamed on the team’s lackluster offensive performance across that stretch, as they only averaged 105.3 points per game. As for Minnesota, their defeat dropped their record down to 47-22.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: The Cavaliers haven’t given up the ball easily this season, having only averaged 12.6 turnovers per game. However, it’s not like the Timberwolves struggle in that department as they’ve been averaging only 13.4 turnovers per game. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Cavaliers are hoping to beat the odds on Friday, as the experts think they’re headed for a loss. They might be worth a quick bet since they’re sitting on a three game streak of covering the spread when playing as the underdog.
Odds
Minnesota is a big 7.5-point favorite against Cleveland, according to the latest NBA odds.
The line has drifted a bit towards the Timberwolves, as the game opened with the Timberwolves as a 5.5-point favorite.
The oddsmakers are predicting a defensive showdown and set the over/under low at 208 points.
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Series History
Minnesota has won 6 out of their last 10 games against Cleveland.
- Mar 08, 2024 – Cleveland 113 vs. Minnesota 104
- Jan 14, 2023 – Minnesota 110 vs. Cleveland 102
- Nov 13, 2022 – Minnesota 129 vs. Cleveland 124
- Feb 28, 2022 – Minnesota 127 vs. Cleveland 122
- Dec 10, 2021 – Cleveland 123 vs. Minnesota 106
- Feb 01, 2021 – Cleveland 100 vs. Minnesota 98
- Jan 31, 2021 – Minnesota 109 vs. Cleveland 104
- Jan 05, 2020 – Minnesota 118 vs. Cleveland 103
- Dec 28, 2019 – Cleveland 94 vs. Minnesota 88
- Nov 26, 2018 – Minnesota 102 vs. Cleveland 95
