Game Preview #48 – Timberwolves at Jazz

Minnesota looks to finish of the second night of a back-to-back as they head into Salt Lake City to take on the Jazz. Can Minnesota avoid stumbling against an inferior team on the road and extend their winning streak to five games?

Minnesota Timberwolves at Utah Jazz
Date: January 30th, 2025
Time: 8:00 PM CST
Location: Delta Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network North
Radio Coverage: KFAN FM/Wolves App/iHeart Radio

Timberwolves Take Care of Business in Phoenix, Now Face a Grit Test in Utah

The Minnesota Timberwolves are rolling. They went into Phoenix, took a couple of early punches, dusted themselves off, and then absolutely smothered the Suns in the second half to secure their fourth straight win. It wasn’t always pretty—this game featured some bizarre lineups, some creative officiating, and an ejection for Chris Finch—but at the end of the night, the Wolves walked out with their sixth straight win over the Suns, dating back to last season’s playoff sweep.

Now comes the real test: closing out a back-to-back in Utah against a Jazz team that isn’t scaring anyone but is exactly the type of team that can trip up a road-weary squad if they’re not careful. This is one of those “business trip” games—you land, you handle your opponent, you get back on the plane. No overthinking, no messing around. Just keep the momentum going.

Recapping the Suns Game

Before we get to Utah, let’s talk about what made Wednesday night’s win so satisfying.

For starters, Minnesota was short-handed. They were already missing Donte DiVincenzo (toe injury), and then Naz Reid was a surprise late scratch. Thankfully Nickeil Alexander-Walker was able to power through a leg contusion he sustained on Monday night, but even with Nickeil’s grit the Wolves were thin at key spots.

Chris Finch responded by getting creative with Minnesota’s lineups. Rookie Rob Dillingham saw extended minutes. Jalen Clark, who has been mostly a rumor this season, actually played real minutes. And yet, somehow, none of it mattered. Minnesota kept things close in the first half and then completely took over the game in the second, turning up the defensive intensity to suffocate Phoenix’s offense.

Anthony Edwards was spectacular, once again proving that when he faces off against his childhood idol, Kevin Durant, he makes sure to shine the brightest. Julius Randle was a wrecking ball, imposing his will in the paint and using his physicality to create easy buckets. Randle has been a polarizing figure among Wolves fans this season, but this was the exact type of game that showcased why he was brought in—to win matchups like this one.

And then there was Alexander-Walker, who gutted through his injury to drop 23 crucial points off the bench, knocking down key threes to put the game out of reach. His performance was the exact kind of “next man up” moment that makes good teams great.

Oh, and then there was the officiating. Finch got ejected for the first time in his career. Jaden McDaniels also got tossed late after mixing it up with Devin Booker. In the end, none of it mattered because they were just the better team. And not just slightly better—clearly better.

That’s the biggest takeaway from this one. The Suns are healthy, they’ve been playing well, and they were at home. And yet, the Wolves walked into their building, made the necessary adjustments, and ran them off the floor.

Now, About That Jazz Game…

The reward for Minnesota’s big win? A quick turnaround in Salt Lake City to face a Utah Jazz team that, on paper, the Wolves should absolutely beat.

The problem? We’ve seen this movie before.

You know those random losses to Portland and Toronto? The ones where Minnesota looked like they forgot they were an actual playoff contender for 48 minutes? This is exactly that type of game. If they don’t show up locked in, they could absolutely let this one slip away.

That said, there’s no excuse to lose to the Jazz. The Wolves are simply better. If they play to their capability, they win this game, extend their win streak to five, and set themselves up for what could be a very fun February push up the Western Conference standings.

Here’s how they do it.

Keys to the Game: Stay Locked In, Don’t Mess Around

1. Win the Battle Inside

Even with Walker Kessler, the Jazz don’t have the size to deal with Rudy Gobert, Randle, and whoever else Minnesota rolls out in the frontcourt. The Wolves dominated the Suns inside, and there’s no reason they can’t do the same against Utah. If Gobert and McDaniels continue their strong rebounding, this should be a comfortable advantage for Minnesota.

2. Take Care of the Basketball

The Wolves can’t start throwing the ball around like it’s a game of hot potato. I expect that Conley and Dillingham will get heavy minutes, helping to keep things under control. Anthony Edwards and Randle also need to be careful when attacking—Utah isn’t good enough to win this game outright, but they are good enough to capitalize on careless mistakes.

3. Get a Spark from the Bench

Against Phoenix, it was Alexander-Walker. Who steps up tonight? Naz Reid (if he plays) could be the X-factor, stretching the floor and making life miserable for Utah’s bigs. McDaniels could also take on a bigger role offensively. And don’t sleep on Dillingham—his ability to push the pace and create offense could be a huge asset on tired legs.

4. Don’t Fall Into the Classic Trap Game

The Wolves can’t afford to play with their food in this one. You know how some teams just have that annoying ability to hang around in games they have no business being in? That’s Utah. The Wolves need to come out with energy, get a lead early, and avoid any of those infamous scoring droughts that let opponents back into games.

Final Thoughts: No Excuses, Just Win

This is one of those games that tells you a lot about a team’s mental makeup. The truly elite teams don’t mess around in spots like this. They handle their business, get the win, and move on.

Minnesota has done the hard part leading up to tonight—they knocked off the Mavericks, Nuggets, and Suns. They’ve put themselves in a great position to move up in the West. Now, they just have to finish the job.

If they do that, they’ll be heading back home for a matchup with the lowly Washington Wizards, staring down a potential six-game winning streak and making a serious push toward home-court advantage in the playoffs.

But first, take care of Utah. No letdowns. No excuses. Just get it done.