The Cleveland Cavaliers are in the midst of a stretch that qualifies as their second worst of the season entering the finale of a three-game road trip against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday in Minneapolis.
Cleveland is off to a tremendous start with 34 wins in its first 40 games, but the team has encountered a rare bit of turbulence over the past week. The Cavaliers have lost two of their past three games, including a 134-114 setback against the host Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.
The Cavaliers have endured just one two-game losing streak this season, consecutive defeats both at Atlanta in late November. Aside from that, they had never dropped two of three at any point in this campaign until now.
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson decided not to scold his players too much after blowout against the Thunder. Instead, he will look to the Saturday game against the Timberwolves as an opportunity to move forward.
“(It was) one of those nights where nothing worked,” Atkinson said. “You’ve got to take it on the chin and congratulate them. I don’t think you go rant and rave after a game (like that one). I don’t think it’s the correct response from a coach.”
The Cavaliers will face a Timberwolves team that is performing better of late but will be playing on short rest. Minnesota is coming off a 116-99 road win over the New York Knicks on Friday night, after which it flew back home to get ready for Cleveland.
Anthony Edwards will try to stay hot after scoring 36 points on 12-for-21 shooting against New York. He made 8 of 13 shots from 3-point range.
Edwards and the rest of the Timberwolves likely will have to find a way to win without guard Donte DiVincenzo, who has a left big toe sprain. DiVincenzo, who missed a game for the first time this season on Friday, is averaging 11.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was not sure yet about a timetable for DiVincenzo’s return. Finch moved Mike Conley back into the starting lineup to replace the injured guard, and Conley logged 13 points and two assists in 25 minutes.
“It’s a tough one for us,” Finch said. “(DiVincenzo) had finally settled in. He looked great, he was playing amazing. (He was) doing everything for us.”
Conley and Edwards will match up against a talented Cavaliers backcourt that includes the team’s top two scorers. Donovan Mitchell leads Cleveland at 22.7 points per game, and Darius Garland ranks second with 21.0 points to go along with a team-high 6.8 assists per contest.
Cavaliers big men Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen will go against the Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle. Mobley is averaging 18.6 points and 8.8 rebounds, and Allen is putting up 14.1 points and 10.1 boards per game.
Naz Reid also can play power forward or center and provide the Timberwolves with a scoring boost off the bench. He made all six of his 3-point attempts against the Knicks, and he will look to keep up his hot shooting after finishing with 23 points in 25 minutes.
