Grizzlies at Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are 3-0 since ending the Jimmy Butler drama and suddenly look like a young, exciting team again. The Timberwolves will try to make it four consecutive wins when they host the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.
Minnesota suffered a 111-81 loss at Portland during a disastrous five-game road trip in Butler's final trip with the team but had no trouble with that same Trail Blazers squad without the disgruntled star around, claiming a 112-96 home win on Friday. "Robert (Covington) and Dario (Saric) add a lot to that and the energy is contagious and so the effort has picked up," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters in praising two of the players who came over from the Philadelphia 76ers in the Butler deal. "That's probably the biggest thing." The new-look Minnesota squad should get a stiff test from the Grizzlies, who won four of their last five games and lead the NBA in scoring defense at an average of 101.8 points allowed. Center Marc Gasol is the anchor of that defense and grabbed 15 rebounds on Friday to pass Zach Randolph for first place on the team's all-time list.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Memphis), FS North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (9-5): Memphis got some unexpected scoring punch on Friday from rookie power forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who scored a season-high 27 points in Friday's 112-104 victory over the Sacramento Kings. "He's a unique basketball player, there's no doubt about it," Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters of Jackson. "At that size with his ability to put the ball on the floor, his willingness to take shots, God-given 6-11 with a 7-5 wingspan with sweet touch, you don't find that often. He's just figuring it out." Jackson is averaging 12.7 points on 48.9 percent shooting.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (7-9): One of Butler's main critiques of his younger teammates was their inability to handle direct criticism, something center Karl-Anthony Towns said has improved in the last week. "We're taking pride," Towns told reporters after Friday's win. "I think especially right now, you see any one of us mess up, we're looking to the person right away and telling them we messed up." Small forward Andrew Wiggins, who was, along with Towns, a reported frequent victim of Butler's criticism, led the team with 23 points on Friday while Covington and Saric combined for 23 points in their second game with the team.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Timberwolves PG Derrick Rose (knee) collected 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes on Friday after sitting out the previous game.
2. Grizzlies PG Mike Conley is averaging 25.3 points in the last four games.
3. Minnesota, which is 7-1 at home, dropped two of the three meetings last season.