The Minnesota Timberwolves face the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, looking to build momentum following a hard-fought win against the Houston Rockets. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM CT, with local television coverage provided by DAZN-MIN and radio broadcasts on 830 WCCO.
Entering the matchup, the Timberwolves hold a 6-3 record while the Pelicans sit at 4-4 Yahoo Sports. New Orleans opened the campaign with four consecutive losses before stringing together four straight victories to climb back to the .500 mark. That winning stretch included notable wins over the Atlanta Hawks and the Memphis Grizzlies, handing Memphis its only loss of the season.
Defending the Pelican Threat
Minnesota enters the contest shorthanded and must manage a healthy New Orleans roster featuring key players who historically elevate their performance against the franchise. Zion Williamson leads that group, averaging 28.5 points per game against Minnesota—nearly five points above his career average of 23.8 Yahoo Sports. Rudy Gobert and Jonathan Kuminga will carry the primary defensive responsibility against Williamson in the paint.
Saddiq Bey also ramps up his output when facing the Timberwolves. While maintaining a career average of 14.8 points per game, Bey’s scoring average jumps to 19.5 points against Minnesota, and climbs further to 24 points per game specifically as a member of the Pelicans Yahoo Sports. Alongside young contributors like Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans presents a multi-faceted test for Minnesota’s defense.
Hyland’s Expanded Role
With Anthony Edwards and Terrence Shannon Jr. sidelined by injuries, guard Bones Hyland has absorbed significantly heavier minutes in the rotation. In the four games preceding Edwards’ injury, Hyland averaged eight minutes per night. Over the subsequent five matchups, his playing time doubled to 16 minutes per contest Yahoo Sports.
Hyland delivered a standout performance last week against the Los Angeles Clippers with 19 points and eight assists, and followed it up by scoring 19 points in 16 minutes during the victory over Houston. Head coach Chris Finch will continue relying on Hyland’s offensive spark to maintain floor spacing and tempo while the team deals with personnel shortages.
Addressing Free Throw Woes
Minnesota continues to struggle significantly at the free throw line, ranking dead last in the NBA with a 63.4% team conversion rate—sitting roughly 7% behind the next closest team. The Timberwolves shot 53% on 10-of-19 shooting from the stripe in their recent win over Houston, further depressing their season percentage despite shooting 53% from the field and 43% from beyond the arc overall.
Gobert’s struggles at the charity stripe—converting at 42.6% on nearly six attempts per game—have mirrored the broader team-wide slump, with only two players on the roster shooting above 80% from the line this season.
Friday's game in New Orleans marks a matchup for Minnesota against Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans, affecting early Western Conference positioning as the team copes with injuries.
