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Boston Celtics (10-8) at Minnesota Timberwolves (10-8)
Saturday, November 29, 2025
5:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #19, Road Game #15
TV: NBA-TV, NBCSB, FDSN
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, IHeart/Wolves App
Target Center
Probable Celtics Starters PG
SG
SF
PF
C
PG: Derrick White
SG: Payton Pritchard
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Jordan Walsh
C: Luka Garza
Celtics ReservesAnfernee Simons
Josh Minott
Xavier Tillman
Sam Hauser
Hugo Gonzalez
Baylon Scheierman
Chris Boucher
Amari Williams
2-Way PlayersRon Harper, Jr
Max Shulga
Amari Williams
Injuries/OutJayson Tatum (Achilles) out
Neemias Queta (ankle) questionable
Jaylen Brown (back) questionable
Derrick White (calf) probable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Probable Timberwolves Starters PG
SG
SF
PF
C
PG: Donte Divincenzo
SG: Anthony Edwards
SF: Jaden McDaniels
PF: Julius Randle
C: Rudy Gobert
Timberwolves ReservesJoan Beringer
Jaylen Clark
Mike Conley
Rob Dillingham
Bones Hyland
Joe Ingles
Leonard Miller
Naz Reid
Terrance Shannon, Jr
2 Way Players Enrique Freeman
Johnny Juzang
Rocco Zikarsky
Injuries/Out None
Head Coach Chris Finch
Game Notes The Celtics are on the road to visit the Minnesota Timberwolves for the first of 2 games between them this season. They will meet for a second, and final, time in Boston on March 22. The Celtics won the series 2-0 last season. The Celtics are 47-22 overall all time and 21-14 in games played in Minnesota. This is the first of back to back games for the Celtics. They are 1-2 on the first night of back to back games so far this season.
The Timberwolves mostly kept the same core players from last season, changing just a few players around them. Nickeil Alexander-Walker went to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and cash considerations. Luka Garza and Josh Minott left as free agents to the Celtics. They drafted Joan Beringer with the 17th pick and Rocco Zikarsky with the 45th pick. They also converted Jaylen Clark from a 2 way contract to a regular contract.
The Celtics are 8th in the East, half a game behind 7th place Orlando and 2 games behind 4th place New York. They are half a game ahead of 9th place Chicago and 10th place Philadelphia. They are 2.5 games ahead of 11th place Milwaukee. They are 4-4 on the road and 3-2 against Western Conference teams. They are 7-3 in their last 10 games and have won their last 2 games.
The Timberwolves are 7th in the West, 1.5 games behind 6th place Phoenix and 3 games behind 4th place Houston. They are 1 game ahead of 8th place Golden State, 2.5 games ahead of 9th place Portland and 4.5 games ahead of 11th place Utah. They are 5-3 at home and 4-1 against Eastern Conference teams. They are 6-4 in the last 10 games and have lost their last 3 games.
After this game at home on the road in Minnesota the Celtics will play back to back in Cleveland on Sunday. They then have one game at home vs New York. After that, they play at Washington, at home against the Lakers and at Toronto before a break for the NBA Cup games. After the break, they host Miami, play at Toronto, host Indiana and then head out on a 5 game road trip through Indiana, Portland, Utah, Sacramento and the LA Clippers.
After this game, the Timberwolves will return home to play in the second game of back to back games against San Antonio. Then they play 2 games in a row at New Orleans. Then they go home for games against the Clippers and Phoenix before the break for the NBA Cup. After that they have a 4 game home stand against Memphis, Oklahoma City, Milwaukee and New York.
Jayson Tatum remains out as he rehabs from a torn Achilles. Neemias Queta missed Wednesday's game with an ankle sprain and is questionable for this game. I'm going to guess that Luka Garza will start in his place again, but Joe may start Chris Boucher, Xavier Tillman, Josh Minott, or even Amari Williams, who was called back from Maine for this game. With Joe, you never know.
The Celtics also added Jaylen Brown to the injury report due to low back spasms. He has been listed as questionable several times before but has yet to miss a game. They may be more cautious this time due to playing back to back. Derrick White is also on the report as probable due to a right calf contusion. Queta, Brown and White are all a game time decision. The Timberwolves have no one listed on their injury report.
Key Matchups vs
Payton Pritchard vs Anthony Edwards
Edwards is averaging 28.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.5 streals per game. He is shooting 47.5% from the field and 39.2% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need defend him both in the paint and on the perimeter as he can score very well from both.
vs
Jordan Walsh vs Julius Randle
Randle is averaging 23.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He is shooting 47.5% from the field and 35.2% from beyond the arc. As with Edwards, the Celtics have to guard Randle both in the paint and on the perimeter as he is very good in both.
Honorable MentionJaylen Brown vs Jaden McDaniels
McDaniels is averaging 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. He is shooting 53.0% from the field and 46.6% from beyond the arc. He is shooting very well, especially from the perimeter and so the Celtics will need to stay with him.
Keys to the Game Defense Defense Defense!! Defense is the key to winning every game. The Timberwolves average 118.8 points per game (10th) while the Celtics average 114.8 points per game (22nd). The Celtics are 17th with a defensive rating of 114.2 while the Wolves have a defensive rating of 112.2 (11th). The Celtics have been inconsistent on defense this season. Sometimes they lock down on defense but other times they slack off on defernse. The Celtics have got to play tough team defense for all 4 quarters if they hope to get a win in this game.
Rebound - The Celtics are averaging 44.4 rebounds per game (16th) to 44.2 rebounds per game for the Timberwolves (18th). The Celtics will need to crash the boards to keep the Wolves from getting extra possessions and second chance points. Much of rebounding is effort and the Celtics have got to work harder on the boards than the Wolves.
Effort and Energy - In most of their losses this season, inconsistent effort was the reason for the loss. They have allowed teams they should have blown out to either beat them or make it a close game. The Celtics need to have the same effort and energy they showed against the Pistons.
3 Point Shots - When the Celtics make their 3's they are tough to beat but when the 3's aren't falling, the game gets really ugly. The Celtics are 3rd in the league, taking 42.9 threes per game. The Timberwolves are 15th with 36.6 threes a game. Although the Celtics are 6th with 15.3 made 3s per game, they are 18th , shooting 35.7% from beyond the arc. The Timberwolves 6th shooting 37.8% from beyond the arc. The key is simple. The Celtics must make their threes and they have to defend the perimeter well to keep the Timberwolves from making theirs.
X-FactorsOn the Road - The Celtics are playing in the first game of a 4 game road trip. They need to focus on the game and on playing with effort and not on the distractions of playing on the road. They can't let the travel and staying in hotels and playing in front of a hostile crowd take away from their focus on the game.
Injuries - The Timberwolves are healthy with no one on their injury report. With Jaylen Brown and Neemias Queta both questionable, and Derrick White possibly hampered with a sore calf, the Celtics could be very shorthanded. Everyone who plays will have to step up and give a little extra on both ends of the court.
Officiating - Officiating always has the potential to be an x-factor. Each officiating crew calls the game differently. Some refs call it tight and constantly call fouls while others let them play with few fouls called. The Celtics need to adjust to how the refs are calling the game and not allow bad calls or no calls to take away their focus.
Topic: Celtics (10-8) at Timberwolves (10-8) Game #19 11/29/25 (Read 140 times)