Team Profile
Minnesota Timberwolves
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110.4 12thOffensive Rating
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108.1 22ndDefensive Rating
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2.3 12thNet Rating
2024 Team Stats
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Points per game112.0 14th
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Points per game Against109.3 16th
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Rebounds per game41.3 21st
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Assists per game25.2 18th
New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (shoulder) underwent successful surgery on Tuesday. The 29-year-old dislocated his right shoulder in January. While he tried to get back on the floor for the playoffs, he ultimately needed to go under the knife. Randle had another quality year, averaging 24.0 points and 9.2 rebounds in 46 games. He will be re-evaluated in five months, so it appears he might be ready for the start of the 2024-25 campaign. Considering Randle had played at least 71 games in the previous three seasons leading up to this one, the surgery shouldn't be enough to lower his fantasy stock significantly.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards went off for a career-high 51 points in Tuesday's 130-121 win over Washington. The T-Wolves got run over in the first quarter, falling 44-25 behind, but led by Edwards, the team was able to turn things around. He had 30 points in the second half, finishing the game with 17-for-29 shooting. Edwards made all of his 11 attempts at the charity stripe and hit six three-point bombs with 13 attempts. His work across 38 minutes included six rebounds and seven assists. The Timberwolves star will be back out on the court Wednesday night in a pivotal battle against Denver to decide the top seed in the Western Conference, and we should see him trying to grab the game by the scruff of the neck again.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (rest) has been removed from the injury report ahead of Friday's game against the Phoenix Suns. The veteran guard was held out of Wednesday's game for rest purposes. However, Conley will return on Friday and is expected to have his normal role in the rotation. The Wolves are likely just resting Conley in order to try and keep him refreshed ahead of the postseason. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable getting Conley back in their lineups on Friday. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is expected to come off the bench with Conley returning.
After two months of rehabilitation to attempt a return, New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (shoulder) will undergo season-ending right shoulder surgery. Randle dislocated his shoulder on Jan. 27, and surgery became inevitable after two specialists warned of possible permanent damage if he returned to play before a procedure. Although the 29-year-old All-Star wasn't expected to be a factor in fantasy leagues down the stretch, it's a crushing blow to the 44-31 Knicks' chances of making a deep postseason run. Randle's season ends with averages of 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.7 three-pointers in 35.4 minutes per game over 46 appearances for New York. Josh Hart has filled in admirably and should continue being treated as a must-start option in his absence, averaging 11.5 points, 10.9 boards, 6.0 dimes, 1.1 steals, and 1.2 threes in 41.0 minutes across 29 games since Randle went down.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (rest) is out for Wednesday's meeting with the Toronto Raptors. The 52-23 T-Wolves will sit Conley down against a depleted Raptors bunch, and the veteran floor general is likely to return for Friday's showdown with the Phoenix Suns. Jordan McLaughlin is shooting the lights out lately, burying 65.7% of his three-pointers over his last 15 games with averages of 5.9 points, 2.7 dimes, and 2.3 triples in 15.1 minutes during this period. His hot streak could earn him a trip to Minnesota's starting group at point guard on Wednesday, making McLaughlin an interesting DFS choice in a cupcake matchup against a Toronto defense yielding the seventh-most points per game (118.5).