Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Portland Trailblazers
Date: February 8th, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM CST
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network North/KARE 11
Radio Coverage: Wolves App/iHeart Radio
Time to Finish the Job
Here we are, the fifth and final game of the Wolves’ homestand. And let’s be honest, when this stretch of games started with two brutal losses—including one to a Wizards team that had been circling the bowl since New Year’s—it felt like the vibes were about to crater. But then Anthony Edwards put on his superhero cape, the Wolves reeled off two straight wins, and suddenly a winning homestand is back on the table.
All it takes? Beating a Portland team that most people thought was tanking… but instead has randomly turned into the 2016 Warriors over the last month.
Yes, that’s right. Portland—the same team that was getting run off the floor for the first half of the season—has won 10 of their last 11 games. For context, that’s a better record in that span than the Celtics, Cavs, Thunder, Nuggets, and yes, the Wolves themselves. So while it’s easy to look at the standings and assume Minnesota is about to roll to an easy W, let’s not pretend this is a gimme.
Minnesota already knows what happens when you underestimate Portland. Back in November, they played the Blazers twice in two nights and got completely embarrassed both times. This was back when we were still talking about the Wolves as a potential 1-seed. Instead, they walked into Portland, looked like they had just woken up from a three-day bender, and lost two straight to a team that should have been completely overmatched.
You can’t let that happen again. Not now. Not at home. Not after clawing back from an 0-2 hole to start this homestand.
Let’s Talk About That Houston Win for a Second
Because honestly, that might have been the most fun game of the season.
Houston came in angry. They’d lost four straight. They were throwing haymakers from the jump. They were crashing the glass, forcing turnovers, attacking the rim like prime Dwyane Wade was on the roster. And the Wolves… somehow just kept matching them punch-for-punch.
There was no second-quarter scoring drought. No stretch where the offense went into hibernation. No moment where the Rockets completely took control. Instead, Minnesota did what good teams do: They fought through the fatigue, kept the ball moving, and leaned on their best player to deliver.
Anthony Edwards? He delivered.
- Hit his 1,000th career three (the youngest player to ever do it).
- Dagger shots in the fourth quarter.
- Played through obvious fatigue after a 49-piece the night before.
This was a “put the team on my back” game. This is what the greats do.
The Young Guns Are Stepping Up
Beyond Ant, the biggest takeaway from that Houston win? The kids are alright.
- Jalen Clark was an absolute menace on defense and knocked down four corner threes in huge moments.
- Rob Dillingham didn’t get as much run but still had a six-point solo run in the third quarter that helped keep the Wolves afloat.
- Terrence Shannon Jr. got his first real opportunity and immediately threw down a poster dunk that nearly blew the roof off Target Center.
Look, there’s been a lot of talk about the Wolves’ long-term future, especially with the salary cap, apron restrictions, and whether this core can stick together. You know what helps with that? Having actual young players on cheap contracts who can contribute right now.
Chris Finch finally opening up the rotation might be the best thing to happen to this team all year.
Keys to Beating Portland (For Real This Time)
So now, the Wolves have a chance to finish the homestand 3-2, avoid another bad loss, and keep climbing in the standings.
But let’s be real—Portland isn’t the same team that lost 10 of 12 earlier this season. They’re playing loose, playing aggressive, and probably looking at this game the same way Washington did last week: A chance to steal a win against a team that might overlook them.
1. Protect the Paint and Control the Glass
- Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid are playing big minutes with Julius Randle still out. That means no easy buckets for Portland.
- The Blazers aren’t a great shooting team. That means they’re going to attack the rim, crash the offensive glass, and try to get second-chance points.
- The Wolves need to deny them those easy looks. If you let Portland grab 15+ offensive boards and get a bunch of putbacks, this is going to be a dogfight.
2. Close Out Hard on Shooters
- Even though Portland isn’t a three-point shooting juggernaut, they’ve had games where they get red-hot out of nowhere.
- Remember Keegan Murray’s 17-point first quarter for Sacramento? We can’t let some random Blazers role player get nuclear.
- Edwards, McDaniels, Alexander-Walker, and Clark need to smother the perimeter. If Portland wins this game, it’s because they shot 40%+ from three. Don’t let them get comfortable.
3. Take Care of the Ball
- The turnover problem is real. The Wolves gave up way too many live-ball turnovers against Houston, and Portland thrives on forcing mistakes and getting out in transition.
- If the Wolves play sloppy, Portland will make them pay.
4. Anthony Edwards: One More Time
- Let’s be real. He’s the entire offense right now.
- Back-to-back 40-point nights? We’ve seen it. But three straight? That would be legendary.
- More important than the scoring: Ant has to stay aggressive and keep attacking. Portland has no one who can guard him. Get downhill. Get to the line. Keep the offense flowing.
Big Picture: This One Matters
The standings are a war zone right now. The Wolves are 4 games out of the three seed and just 3.5 games ahead of the 10 seed.
Right now, the Wolves are 6th in the West.
- Win ? They stay out of the play-in and keep pressure on teams above them.
- Lose? Suddenly, they’re back in the mess with Dallas, the Kings, and the Suns.
The Nuggets and Lakers are right there to be caught. The Wolves need to take advantage of that.
You can’t let games like this slip away.
The Blazers should be beatable. The Wolves should come out on top. But we’ve said that before. If they start slow, let Portland hang around, or go through a brutal scoring drought, it could be another one of those frustrating “what-if” games.
So here’s the deal: Take this seriously.
- Come out strong.
- Lock in on defense.
- Don’t let Portland steal this one.
Win this, and the homestand is a success. Lose it, and suddenly we’re looking at a 2-3 stretch that should’ve been 4-1.