Tonight's Matchup
- The Wolves trail in the overall series 22-33 and are 8-18 in Boston. Minnesota looks for its first win in TD Garden since a 99-97 victory on Mar. 6, 2005. The Celtics took the first meeting of the season 99-93 after Isaiah Thomas poured in 20 of his 29 points in the second half to lead Boston.
Wolves Notes
- Winners of 8 of their last 12 games, the Wolves are outscoring their opponents by +7.8 ppg (107.3-99.5) in those 12 while outrebounding them by +6.7 rpg (47.4-40.8).
- Beginning tonight, six of the Wolves' next seven (and 11 of the final 16) will be away from Target Center. It also continues a run of four in a row (through Friday at Miami) vs. Eastern opponents.
- Karl-Anthony Towns has scored 20+ points in 21 straight games, the longest such streak in club history and the longest current streak in the NBA. In three career games vs. Boston, he is averaging 26.7 ppg and a career-best 15.7 rpg.
- Towns leads the NBA in points in the paint (916 points/13.9 per game) and second-chance points (323 points/4.9 per game). He ranks 13th in scoring (24.5 ppg), sixth in rebounding (12.3 rpg), 15th in blocks (1.39 bpg), 15th in FG% (53.4%) and tied for second in double-doubles (50).
- Ricky Rubio has posted 15 point/assist double-doubles in his last 28 games. He is averaging 13.1 ppg on 43.5 shooting, 11.3 apg 4.6 rpg over the last 15 games. Rubio ranks tied for fourth in assists (8.9 apg), fourth in ast/TO ratio (3.55-to-1) and sixth in steals (1.80 spg).
- Nemanja Bjelica has recorded four double-doubles in the last seven games, averaging 9.9 ppg and 8.3 rpg in 28.9 mpg over that stretch.
- The Wolves have handed out 20+ assists in a franchise-best 36 straight games. Coming into tonight’s contest vs. Boston, Minnesota ranks 10th in assists (23.5 apg).
Celtics Notes
- Boston has a record of 42-25, good for second in the Eastern Conference, two and a half games behind Cleveland. The Celtics are coming off a 100-80 victory of the Chicago Bulls in which Isaiah Thomas tallied a game-high 22 points and Boston had six players in double-figures.
- The Celtics rank ninth in the NBA in scoring (107.5 ppg), second in free throw percentage (81.2%), third in three-pointers made (815), fourth in assists (24.8 apg).
- Isaiah Thomas comes into tonight’s matchup having scored 20+ points in five straight games Thomas ranks second in the NBA in scoring (29.2 ppg), third in free-throw percentage (91.0%), 17th in assists (6.1 apg) and first in fourth quarter scoring (10.1 ppg).
- Boston went 12-for-38 (31.6%) from three-point range vs. Minnesota on Nov. 21. The Celtics have made 10+ threes in 56 games this season and are 36-14 when doing so.
Wolves Leaders Celtics Leaders
Karl-Anthony Towns 24.5 ppg Isaiah Thomas 29.2 ppg
Karl-Anthony Towns 12.3 rpg Al Horford 6.6 rpg
Ricky Rubio 8.9 apg Isaiah Thomas 6.1 apg