League Pass Matchup of the Day: Memphis Grizzlies take on Minnesota Timberwolves (8 ET)

The Minnesota Timberwolves (20-17) will face off against the Memphis Grizzlies (24-14) for the first time this season on Saturday night at 8 PM ET, available on League Pass. The Timberwolves are currently on a three-game winning streak, while the Grizzlies are looking to bounce back after a loss on Thursday.

Here are five things to know before tip-off:

1. Minnesota’s defense has been key:

The Timberwolves have used defense as a calling card over the last couple of seasons, and this year has been no different. They enter Saturday’s contest with the sixth-ranked defense (

109.3

) in the NBA, and they’ve been even peskier during their current win streak. Over this three-game stretch, Minnesota owns the second-best defense (

102.5

), and they rank first in opponent’s field goal percentage (

38.9

) and points allowed (97.3). 

2. Anthony Edwards in his bag:

Edwards

has been on a tear over his last four games, willing the Wolves to a 3-1 record. Ant dropped a career-high 53 points (16-31 FG, 10-15 3PT, 11-12 FT) in the one loss, and he put up 30 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6 assists and 1.7 steals in 37 minutes in their three wins. He has been locked in from distance, shooting 54% (27-of-50) from 3-point range during this stretch and 42.7% on the season. His

25.7

points per game rank eighth across the league.

3. Donte DiVincenzo finding his groove:

DiVincenzo

moved into the Wolves’ starting lineup in place of

Mike Conley

over their last three games, resulting in a 3-0 record for Minnesota. The seventh-year guard has put up 12.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.7 steals in 28.1 minutes as a

starter

, drilling over 39% of his 7.7 3-point attempts per game. 

4. Rookies having an impact in Memphis:

The Grizzlies have gotten major contributions from their first-year players in

Jaylen Wells

and

Zach Edey

, who both find themselves ranked inside the top five of our

Kia Rookie Ladder

for 2024-25. Wells has played in every game for the Grizz this season, ranking third in points per game (

11.6

) among all rookies while shooting over 37% on three-pointers. Edey has missed some time, but he’s sixth in scoring (10.3 ppg), second in rebounds (7.5), and tied for second with four double-doubles as a rookie. 

5. The Grizzlies’ bench has been dominant:

Memphis gets a boost from their bench, as they lead the league in scoring (

47.1 ppg

), assists (13.6), minutes played (21.6) and 3-point accuracy (40.9%), helping them earn the third-best net rating (3.6) in the NBA.

Santi Aldama

leads the way for their reserves with averages of 13 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists while knocking down almost 39% of his three-point attempts, all of which are career-highs.