It has been nearly six weeks since the Oklahoma City Thunder needed to build a winning streak.
Oklahoma City will go for back-to-back victories when it tips off against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night in Minneapolis. The Thunder are an NBA-best 25-2 for the season, but they fell short against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday before regrouping in their next game to knock off the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night.
Now, the Thunder will travel north to face a Timberwolves squad that is preparing for the third contest in a five-game homestand. Minnesota is coming off a 116-110 loss Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies but has won seven of its past nine games.
The Timberwolves have played without top playmaker Anthony Edwards for the past three games because of a foot injury. The team hopes that Edwards will be able to return Friday.
Without Edwards, players such as Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo have taken on a larger role in the offense. DiVincenzo recorded a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds vs. the Grizzlies but said he and his teammates can do more.
The Timberwolves struggled in a battle of physicality against Memphis and cannot afford to do the same against Oklahoma City, DiVincenzo said.
“I think it was more so you have to look yourself in the mirror,” he said. “You have to give (the Grizzlies) credit, but also, no matter what team we play, we can make quick decisions, we can make quick reads, we can get downhill and spray it out, and we can turn the ball over less.”
Meanwhile, Oklahoma City got back to good habits in a 122-101 home win over the Clippers on Thursday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 32 points on 13-for-24 shooting from the field, and Chet Holmgren contributed 22 points on 8-for-13 shooting.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said he was not too concerned with his team needing to rebound from a recent loss. Oklahoma City won 24 of its first 25 games — losing only to Portland on Nov. 5 — before falling to the Spurs 111-109 in the NBA Cup semifinals, and the Thunder’s bounce-back victory against the Clippers gave the team a confidence boost.
“The team does a great job at keeping every game in the context of the season,” Daigneault said. “Every single game is important in that it’s the only game you’re playing that day.”
Isaiah Joe will look to stay hot against the Timberwolves. He scored 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting against the Clippers, making 4 of 7 shots from beyond the arc.
The game marked Joe’s first action since Dec. 2 against the Golden State Warriors.
“His system stuff is like riding a bike — it still requires great effort and focus, but he just has such a confidence when it comes to what we do,” Daigneault said. “(He has) done a great job. He really opened the game up for us at different parts of it (Thursday night).”
