MEM vs MIN Dream11: The Western Conference Playoffs have been way more intense than the East one. In the West, only the Warriors have a two-game margin lead, up by three-one, while a win gave the Mavericks a three-two cushion over the Jazz. Then we have the league’s best Suns challenged by the Pelicans, tied at two-two. Now let us head into the match-up between the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves, two teams also tied at two each.
The Grizzlies broke open Game 2 & Game 3 but Ja Morant’s awful night handed a win to the Timberwolves, as they won a close one 119:118 as Anthony-Towns racked up 33 points and broke a scoring funk. The Grizzlies made a strong comeback in the last quarter but the close battle finally belonged to the Timberwolves as they claimed the game well.
Host: Memphis Grizzlies
Visitors: Minnesota Timberwolves
Match Timing: 27 April, @ 05:00 AM (+05:30 UTC)
Venue: Fed Ex Forum
Morant has been off
Ja Morant had a horrible Game 4 and his shooting form has been concerning as he has been unable to get going as the Grizzlies’ perimeter defense led by Patrick Beverley has bothered him quite a bit. The Timberwolves had a superb shooting game too which made the matters complicated as the elite three-point shooting team, knocked down 18 of their 36 attempts from the three-point line.
Although Morant has been off, Desmond Bane has been red-hot from the field. He buried eight triples in the last game and was the most dependable offensive option for the Grizzlies in the last game. One other trouble has been that Jaren Jackson has been in perpetual foul trouble which has affected the defensive balance, he has been having this foul-trouble issue since the beginning of the season.
For the Wolves, Anthony Edwards continued to be the most dependable offensive option while D’Angelo Russell has now had three poor shooting nights out of the four games. Jarred Vanderbilt has earned minutes due to his improved scoring and when Pat Bev knocks down four triples, the Timberwolves are surely having a great night. The Grizzlies committed a whopping 33 fouls in the last game which gave Timberwolves 40 chances at the free-throw lines. Memphis needs more from both Jaren and Ja.
Fantasy related speculations
Despite his poor shooting form, Ja remains the hot favorite as a fantasy pick from the Grizzlies. Desmond Bane has certainly raised his stocks while Jaren Jackson has seen a significant decline in his stocks. On the other hand, Steven Adams has completely fallen out of rotation while Brandon Clarke has been one of the most reliable picks lately.
On the other hand, the Timberwolves saw Anthony-Towns improve his performance but Anthony Edwards is the most dependable fantasy option. D’Angelo Russell hasn’t been a reliable performer while Patrick Beverley certainly brings a lot of value, Jarred Vanderbilt raised his stocks in the last two games.
Performance Predictions
Highest scorer: Ja Morant: 34
Highest rebounder: Karl Anthony-Towns: 11
Top assists maker: Ja Morant: 13
Score Prediction: Grizzlies 122 Timberwolves 110
Memphis Grizzlies News
Grizzlies Expected Starting Five
Defensive Specialist: PF: Jaren Jackson Jr
Inside Presence: C: Xavier Tillman
Two-way Wing: SF: Dillon Brooks
Scoring Guard: SG: Desmond Bane
Leading Scorer and Playmaker: PG: Ja Morant
BENCH: Brandon Clarke, DeAnthony Melton, Tyus Jones, John Konchar, Yves Pons, Steven Adams, Ziairie Williams, Jarrett Culver, Tyler Terry.
Minnesota Timberwolves Teams News:
Timberwolves Expected Starting Five
Athletic High-Scoring Wing: SF: Anthony Edwards
Rebounding specialist: PF: Jarred Vanderbilt
All-around Star Center: C: Karl Anthony-Towns
Scoring and Playmaking Guard: PG: D’Angelo Russell
Defensive specialist/all-around Guard: PG: Patrick Beverley
BENCH: Jaden McDaniels, Malik Beasley, Naz Reid, Taurean Prince, Jordan McLaughlin, Josh Okogie, Jaylen Nowell, Nathan Knight, Jake Layman.
Anthony Edwards(MIN)
Points: 24
Rebounds: 02
Assists: 04
Blocks: 03
Steals: 02
SF Edwards has been a reliable scorer while he has also done a great job as the defensive player lately, giving all-around production. I expect a 20-25 points, 3-5 rebounds, 3-5 assists, and 2-3 steals/blocks range.
Expected Fantasy Points Range: 37-50
Ja Morant(MEM)
Points: 11
Rebounds: 08
Assists: 15
Steals: 01
Point Guard Ja has been off his game in the last couple of outings and shot just 4/13 from the floor in the last match, however, I expect him to bounce back here. I expect a 26-34 points, 8-12 assists, and 5-9 rebounds range here. He can be chosen as a Star/Pro Player in the Dream 11 NBA Fantasy scenario.
Expected Fantasy Points Range: 45-56
Karl Anthony-Towns(MIN)
Points: 33
Rebounds: 14
Assists: 03
Blocks: 01
Center Anthony-Towns had a solid night as he got to the free-throw line 17 times and knocked down 14 of them while grabbing 12 defensive boards. He can be in 18-25 points, 9-14 rebounds, and 2-4 assists range here.
Expected Fantasy Points Range: 38-48
Desmond Bane(MEM)
Points: 34
Rebounds: 02
Assists: 04
Steals: 01
Off-guard Bane has been a terrific shooter who has made 15 triples in the last two games, the most by any player in that space. I expect him to be in 23-29 points range here.
Expected Fantasy Points Range: 25-40
D’Angelo Russell (MIN)
Points: 10
Rebounds: 02
Assists: 07
Steals: 01
Russell continues to struggle and had just 3/11 shooting night and he will be looking to break the funk here. I expect a 13-18 points and 4-7 assists range here.
Expected Fantasy Points Range: 18-33
Jaren Jackson(MEM)
Points: 07
Rebounds: 06
Assists: 00
Blocks: 02
Defensive dynamo Jaren continues to be in foul trouble, hurting the Grizzlies’ chances and he is yet to get going in the series. I expect a 11-16 points, 6-9 rebounds, and 3-4 blocks range here.
Expected Fantasy Points Range: 25-35
MEM vs MIN Dream11 Team
(Most Recommended)
PG: P Beverley, T Jones, J Morant(SP)
SG: D Bane
SF: D Brooks, J McDaniels
PF: B Clarke
C: K Towns(PP)
(Alternate)
PG: P Beverley, T Jones, J Morant(SP)
SG: D Bane
SF: J McDaniels, A Edwards(PP)
PF: B Clarke
C: J Jackson
Wouldn’t you wanna watch athletic Ja Morant and Anthony Edwards shattering the rim time and time again? In the not-so-encouraging piece of news for Indian NBA fans, this match can’t be seen through the official streaming services. The two official Indian streaming platforms Voot and JIOTV are not going to display this game. Therefore, the best way to get plugged into all the NBA games is by purchasing the annual subscription to the NBA League Pass which gives you access to all the live streams and full game replays too. To learn the scores, stats, and news, go to the official website of the NBA.