Minnesota Timberwolves vs Utah Jazz Prediction & Match Preview – December 31st, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22

The Minnesota Timberwolves will lock horns with the Utah Jazz at the Vivint Arena on Friday, December 31. Both teams have met twice this season and the Jazz were the team that came out victorious on both of those occasions. The Timberwolves will look to seek revenge from those defeats and get to a win on the Jazz’s homecourt.

The Timberwolves come into the game on the back of a disappointing loss to the New York Knicks. The loss was their third in a matter of just four games. These setbacks could be due to the team missing out on a few of their stars. However, a win against the Utah Jazz is essential if they want to improve their record in the West.

As far as the Jazz are concerned, they come into the game on the back of a five-game winning streak. The team has been playing extremely well and this has helped them to get to the third position in the Western Conference. They will be gunning to keep their streak intact and move ahead with solidity.

Match Details

Fixture: Minnesota Timberwolves vs Utah Jazz | NBA Season 2021-22

Date & Time: Friday, December 31, 10:00 PM ET [Saturday, January 1, 7:30 AM IST]

Venue: Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, UT

Minnesota Timberwolves Preview

The Minnesota Timberwolves have shown tremendous improvements since last season. They currently place ninth in the West with a 16-18 record. The team was doing extremely well before D’Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards entered the Health and Safety Protocols. Edwards may most likely make an appearance as he has cleared the protocols, but his conditioning is in question for this game. The Jazz are high on confidence and are playing brilliantly on both ends. It will take special efforts from the Timberwolves to break them, but the team will give their best.

Key Player – Malik Beasley

Malik Beasley comes into the game on the back of a 20 point performance against the Knicks. He has been a key player in the team and has delivered whenever the Timberwolves have needed him. With a lot of their star power out for this game, Beasley will need to take charge and lead the franchise against the Jazz.

Utah Jazz Preview

The Utah Jazz has been a team to watch out for in the West. They have been firing on all cylinders and are slowly shaping up to be contenders in the West. All of the players have contributed massively to the team’s success this season. Starters have been very impactful and the bench of the Jazz has been terrific as usual. Going into this game, they will be looking to extend their winning streak. However, the Timberwolves have been a tricky opponent and the Jazz cannot lose their guard till the last moment if they are to get to another win.

Key Player – Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell will make his return to the lineup in this game on Friday. His absence was not largely felt, as the team managed to bag wins in those encounters. However, his presence will further boost the team on Friday, due to the energy he brings into the team.

Predicted Line-ups

Minnesota Timberwolves Predicted Line-up

G – Anthony Edwards, G – Patrick Beverley, F – Malik Beasley, F – Jaden McDaniels, C – Nathan Knight

Utah Jazz Predicted Line-up

G – Mike Conley, G – Donovan Mitchell, F – Bojan Bogdanovic, F – Royce O’Neale, C – Rudy Gobert

Timberwolves vs Jazz Match Prediction

The Jazz have won both of their games against the Timberwolves this season. They have been solid all year and have been on a stellar run of form in the past few weeks. Considering the team and their performances, the Jazz definitely look like strong favorites to pull out a win in this game.

Where to watch the Timberwolves vs Jazz game?

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All NBA games will be made available to stream live on the official NBA app. This game between the Timberwolves and Jazz will also be locally telecast on Bally Sports North and AT&T SportsNet.