Trail Blazers at Timberwolves
The Portland Trail Blazers continue to sink down the standings while the Minnesota Timberwolves are beginning to find the win column with more consistency. The Timberwolves will try to earn back-to-back wins at the expense of their Northwest Division rivals when they host the Trail Blazers on Sunday.
Minnesota is trying to develop consistency with its young team from game-to-game and within games, and the Timberwolves put together one of their most complete efforts in a 116-99 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. "We're playing connected," Minnesota guard Andrew Wiggins told reporters. "The chemistry is building every day. We know where people are going to be, and we're playing unselfish, playing together." Portland is striving for a similar connectivity but is searching for the right pieces with star guard Damian Lillard (ankle) missing the last three games and remaining questionable for Sunday. The Trail Blazers are 1-2 in his absence and built a 13-point, first-half lead at San Antonio on Friday only to struggle in the second half and fall 110-94.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Northwest (Portland), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (14-21): Lillard is not only the team's leader in scoring (27 points) and assists (6.2), but his 4.5 rebounds are crucial to the team's effort on the boards. Portland was outrebounded 48-25 by the Spurs and the starting backcourt of Allen Crabbe and C.J. McCollum combined for three boards. "With the way we play, our bigs are out (of the paint) so it's hard," small forward Maurice Harkless told the team's website. "Our guards have to help rebound. It's a collective effort, especially when we play like that. We've just got to do a better job getting into big guys' legs and getting the rebound."
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (11-22): Minnesota is moving the ball on offense and recorded 30 assists on 43 made field goals in Friday's win after posting 29 assists - led by center Karl-Anthony Towns' triple-double - in a 105-103 setback at Denver on Wednesday. "It's awesome to see," Towns told reporters. "The ball is moving so well. We're doing such a good job. We've been doing a great job of just moving the ball. Everyone's getting shots in easy spots. And we're capitalizing on it." Towns followed up his triple-double in Denver with 18 points, 16 rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocks on Friday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Timberwolves SF Shabazz Muhammad scored a season-high 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting Friday.
2. McCollum is averaging 26 points in three games without Lillard in the lineup.
3. Minnesota snapped a four-game losing streak in the series with a 106-105 victory at Portland on April 9.