Minnesota

Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

Published

1 year ago

November 10, 2023

Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

Who doesn’t like some high-stakes basketball in November? On Friday night the San Antonio Spurs will play in their first game of the NBA’s In Season Tournament. For a quick recap on how the tournament works, check out Pounding the Rock’s explainer from this summer. The Spurs are in a tough group with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings, so every game of group play counts.

The Silver and Black find themselves on a three-game losing streak as they return home to face the Timberwolves. Minnesota has been playing some excellent basketball lately, winning four straight. San Antonio will have to improve their half court offense and perimeter defense if they hope to win their first In Season Tournament game.

November 10, 2023 | 7 P.M. CT

Watch: BSSW | Listen: WOAI/KXTN

Spurs injuries: Charle Bediako – Out (G League,) Sidy Cissoko – Out (G League,) Sir’Jabari Rice – Out (G League)

Timberwolves injuries: Jaylen Clark – Out (right achilles,) Luka Garza – Out (G League,) Jordan McLaughlin – Out (right MCL,) Leonard Miller – Out (G League,) Wendell Moore Jr. – Out (G League)

What to watch for

Spurs half court offense

The Spurs have struggled to score in the half court ever since the fourth quarter of the Raptors game on Sunday. They are currently 19th in the NBA in offensive rating (109.6.) In their last game against the New York Knicks, they scored just 105 points, and struggled to get anything going offensively, unless they played up-tempo basketball. The problem has been multifaceted: an injured Devin Vassell, teams keying in on Victor Wembanyama and a lack of three point shooting.

The Spurs are 17th in the NBA in three-point shooting. They shot just 26.5% from three against New York on Wednesday. With Vassell back in the lineup, and Doug McDermott heating up from three, there is a reason to be optimistic that they will start getting more of those shots to fall. Getting Wembanyama involved and in spots to succeed will be a priority too.

The Timberwolves are a buzzsaw on defense. They rank first in the league in defensive rating (100.1) and allow the fewest points per game (101.1.) Rudy Gobert is an all-defense caliber center, Anthony Edwards is improving as a 1-on-1 defender, and they have several lengthy wings who can disrupt opposing offenses. The Spurs will need to play much better offensively if they want to stay in this game.

Guarding the perimeter

As bad as the Spurs offense has been, the defense has been much worse. They are allowing 121.5 points per game (27th in the league,) and teams are shooting 50% from the field against them. The perimeter defense has been a problem, especially guarding the three point line. Opponents are hitting 15.3 deep balls a game, and making them at a 38.3% clip.

The Wolves provide an interesting offensive challenge. Edwards is a star with the ball in his hands. They have multiple position players hitting over 40% of their three-point attempts (they are shooting 37.3% from deep as a team.) Plus, they play two of the league’s best big men, Gobert and Karl Anthony-Towns, with one of its most underrated in Naz Reid coming off the bench. In a big game, the Spurs will have a defensive challenge ahead of them.

Wembanyama vs. Gobert

We will have a “gros match” (“big matchup” in French) on our hands Friday night. Wembanyama and Gobert are two of the league’s biggest basketball stars. Emphasis on big. Fun fact, if you took Wemby and Gobert’s wingspans and added them together, they would be as tall as a giraffe. France will be a must-watch team in international play with those two monitoring the paint.

Gobert is one of the few players in the league who can challenge Wembanyama with his length. We saw what a big with length and physicality can do to the rookie when Mitchell Robinson guarded him on Wednesday night. Wembanyama will need to use his speed and touch to find openings in a tough matchup. This is certainly a meeting that the first-year frenchman has been looking forward to.

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Minnesota

Minnesota task force recommends decriminalization of magic mushrooms

Published

53 minutes ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Minnesota task force recommends decriminalization of magic mushrooms

MINNEAPOLIS — A task force is recommending the decriminalization of magic mushrooms.

A nearly 200-page report from the Minnesota Psychedelic Medicine Task Force said psilocybin mushrooms show evidence they may improve mental health.

Logan Fleischman co-owns Wonderland Mushroom Dispensary in St. Paul, a shop specializing in mushroom-infused gummies and drinks that tout supposed real-life health benefits.

“We’re not saying that this certainly will give you energy or will give you focus, but for some people, it does help,” Fleischman said.

Fleischman does not sell “magic mushrooms,” also known as psilocybin mushrooms, that cause hallucinations and are still illegal.
However, news of a state task force report that lays out potential health benefits, gives Fleischman hope.

“Really helping combat things like depression, anxiety, PTSD,” Fleischman said.

By a two-thirds supermajority, members of the Psychedelic Medicine Task Force are recommending the Minnesota Legislature create a state-regulated clinical program for the therapeutic administration of psilocybin-containing mushrooms, while removing criminal penalties for their use, and allocating for more funding for research on psychedelics, like psilocybin mushrooms.

The task force also looked at a clinical program for synthetic drugs like MDMA and LSD, but that didn’t garner enough support. There also was not enough support for a recreational market for magic mushrooms.

“The report itself is meant to be a long-term resource for the state,” said Jessica Nielson, chair of the task force. “We do need someone in the legislature to actually introduce the bill and move it through the system.”

Minnesota Sen. Mark Koran, R-North Branch, a member of the task force, is optimistic.

“If we can get a true environment to have some research done and find an effective way to administer it, and we have the resources to do it here, then I would be all for moving it forward,” Koran said.

Jason Rantala

Jason Rantala joined WCCO as a reporter in June 2023. He’s a Minnesota native and is thrilled to be telling the stories of those in his hometown.

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Minnesota

Ohio State vs. Minnesota Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Monday, January 6th

Published

8 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Ohio State vs. Minnesota Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Monday, January 6th

Ohio State will look for some Big Ten consistency on the road against Minnesota.

The Golden Gophers are struggling to keep up with high-end competition, yet to beat a top 80 team in the country thus far. Can the team score a home upset against Ohio State? The Buckeyes have yet to win a true road game but are laying a handful of points on the road on Monday night.

Here’s our best bet for this one.

Spread

Moneyline

Total: 136.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Ohio State

Bruce Thornton: Enjoying a career-best year, Thornton is up to nearly 17 points per game while shooting 54% from the field and 44% from three. The veteran guard will be tasked with guiding the Buckeyes to a road win as the team looks to keep its three-point shooting at a high.

Minnesota

Dawson Garcia: The senior is averaging 19 points per game with seven rebounds while also showcasing improved playmaking with two assists per game. The Gophers are struggling to find consistency on offense, but a lot of it is coming from the 6’11” senior.

Ohio State continues to be an overvalued commodity after a strong start to the season. The team is ripe for regression, including three percent overall with a massive drop-off expected from beyond the arc (four percent), per ShotQuality.

The team will face a Minnesota team that grades out as a better defense according to shot quality and does a great job of contesting perimeter shots, which is a key to Ohio State’s offense. The Gophers are 38th in the country in three-point rate allowed, which can slow down Ohio State’s offense that ranks top 30 in three-point percentage.

The Gophers play at a prodding pace, bottom 10 in the country in adjusted tempo, and Ohio State’s defense continues to be overvalued due to poor shot-making marks, ranking 14th in effective field goal percentage. However, the team is outside of the top half of the country in turnover percentage, defensive rebounding rate, and opponent free throw rate.

In a low possession battle, give me the home underdog to keep this close.

PICK: Minnesota +5.5

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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Minnesota

Big Plays by Vikings Defense Early Not Enough in Detroit

Published

16 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Big Plays by Vikings Defense Early Not Enough in Detroit

Detroit’s next series was upended by another turnover of sorts, this time a stop on fourth-and-1 that was caused by Jonathan Bullard tipping Goff’s pass at the line of scrimmage. It returned the ball to Minnesota with three-and-a-half minutes left in the first half – and a prime opportunity to double-dip.

But they botched that chance, too, tasking Reichard with another field goal after fading at Detroit’s 13.

“This game could look differently in the end, very easily, with one or two more plays down in the red zone, being successful, and the way that works with momentum, and the way that works for the energy of your whole team. I thought the guys fought. I thought they battled,” Kevin O’Connell said. “They answered the bell, in that first half, turning the football over, giving us ops, getting stops. … We were going to go down there and try to get seven points, and we just didn’t do it. And you’re not going to beat a team like that, regardless of some of the other metrics in the game, when the weighty downs kind of go the way it did, and weighty as they get. They don’t get more weighty than scoring plays.”

Minnesota’s inability to capitalize offensively lingered in the third quarter, when Smith plucked an overthrown ball for Williams out of mid-air. Again, Reichard kicked a field goal.

To understand how well Minnesota’s defense played early look at the difference in second-quarter performance – a good indicator being it has been the most productive frame for the Lions this season in terms of yards (120.9) and points (10-plus) – Sunday and Week 7: The Vikings yielded 65 yards on 18 plays (3.6 avg.), and just three points, versus 202 yards on 17 plays (11.9 avg.) and 21 points in October.

Eventually, however, Gibbs stole the show.

The second-year phenom compiled 170 scrimmage yards and scored all four of Detroit’s touchdowns. He did it via a blend of untouchable speed, uncanny vision between the tackles and a serious finishing burst.

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