Contender or Pretender? Warriors at Wolves GDT

[60WinTim]

This game strikes me as a pretty damn important game tonight. I use the word "Contender" loosely, meaning a top-6 team. Pretender's are the play-in teams, or worse...

The Warriors are a desperate team right now. They are struggling to sniff the play-in. A win for them would put them in the play-in mix, a loss is another nail in their coffin.

The Wolves have won 4 of their last 5 games since the DDV for Conley swap. Coincidence?

The Wolves will not be favored in the next two games, so a loss tonight likely means a 3-game losing streak and right back to where we started before the swap. So, let's go get a win!

[FNG]

Yeah, I agree this is one we have to win with 2 tough games on the horizon. Podziemski is out, and the fact that the Wolves are favored by 6 1/2 tells me some of the other 4 rotation players listed on the injury report may not play (Draymond is listed as questionable with an illness).

You're right that we will not be favored in the next two games. But the Knicks game is far from a lost cause. They have lost 5 out of 7 and KAT has a bad thumb. Plus, the vibe is not good in NY right now (despite being 2 games ahead of last year's pace), as shown in the comments below this X post:

https://x.com/KnicksBeast/status/1879167193289814046

I liked KAT as a player, but he certainly had his detractors here. You have to wonder if losing a popular player like DiVo (who is regaining his stride with us) has a lot to do with the cautious mood in NY.

[Phenom]

Wolves are a half game out of 5th in the West and 2 games ahead of 12th. Seeds 2-4 are not out of the question but the team has to start piling on wins. My midseason guess is the Wolves are headed for 6th.

[60WinTim]

Okay, a loss tonight will be downright embarrassing...

Warriors injury report:

Warriors have ruled OUT Draymond Green, Kyle Anderson, Jonathan Kuminga & Brandin Podziemski for tonight’s game vs. Wolves.

[BeenLurkin]

If Curry is in it’s never in the bag. I’d say Draymond vs Rudy is actually a better matchup for us.

[60WinTim]

Mavericks against the Pelicans have Luka, Irving and Lively out. The Pels are hurting, too, but not as bad as the Mavericks. A Wolves win and Mavs loss would move the Wolves ahead of the Mavs in the standings.

The Lakers host the Heat tonight. The Wolves and Lakers are tied in the standings, but the Lakers are percentage points ahead. A Laker loss would allow the Wolves to leapfrog them as well.

And heck, should the Clippers lose to the Nets tonight, the Wolves would be sitting in sole possession of the 5 seed! Although that scenario seems quite unlikely...

[Q-is-here]

Mavericks against the Pelicans have Luka, Irving and Lively out. The Pels are hurting, too, but not as bad as the Mavericks. A Wolves win and Mavs loss would move the Wolves ahead of the Mavs in the standings.

The Lakers host the Heat tonight. The Wolves and Lakers are tied in the standings, but the Lakers are percentage points ahead. A Laker loss would allow the Wolves to leapfrog them as well.

And heck, should the Clippers lose to the Nets tonight, the Wolves would be sitting in sole possession of the 5 seed! Although that scenario seems quite unlikely...

....and temporary given our upcoming schedule.

[60WinTim]

Mavericks against the Pelicans have Luka, Irving and Lively out. The Pels are hurting, too, but not as bad as the Mavericks. A Wolves win and Mavs loss would move the Wolves ahead of the Mavs in the standings.

The Lakers host the Heat tonight. The Wolves and Lakers are tied in the standings, but the Lakers are percentage points ahead. A Laker loss would allow the Wolves to leapfrog them as well.

And heck, should the Clippers lose to the Nets tonight, the Wolves would be sitting in sole possession of the 5 seed! Although that scenario seems quite unlikely...

....and temporary given our upcoming schedule.

Always with the negativity waves, Moriarty!!

Towns is out tonight with his sprained right thumb. Maybe he'll be out, or subpar, when the Wolves travel to MSG...

[Q-is-here]

Mavericks against the Pelicans have Luka, Irving and Lively out. The Pels are hurting, too, but not as bad as the Mavericks. A Wolves win and Mavs loss would move the Wolves ahead of the Mavs in the standings.

The Lakers host the Heat tonight. The Wolves and Lakers are tied in the standings, but the Lakers are percentage points ahead. A Laker loss would allow the Wolves to leapfrog them as well.

And heck, should the Clippers lose to the Nets tonight, the Wolves would be sitting in sole possession of the 5 seed! Although that scenario seems quite unlikely...

....and temporary given our upcoming schedule.

Always with the negativity waves, Moriarty!!

Towns is out tonight with his sprained right thumb. Maybe he'll be out, or subpar, when the Wolves travel to MSG...

Yeah, I have some hope against the Knicks. Thibs has been grinding that starting unit down and things have gone a bit wobbly there after being the darlings of NBA glitterati.

[60WinTim]

Knicks/76ers going to OT. Wolves game time will slide the max, I assume...