In one of the most volatile summers in terms of NBA star player movement, the Minnesota Timberwolves made one of the more stunning splashes of the offseason, trading for All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets. So far, it’s worked, as the Timberwolves are 3-0, one of only six undefeated teams left in the league.
Tonight, Minnesota will hope to keep that streak alive with a 7:10 p.m. ET date against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are 1-1 after abating the sting of a blown 29-point lead in their season opener.
Cleveland should have a completely healthy rotation, with only deep bench options Khalifa Diop (knee), Nae’Qwan Tomlin (back), and Ernest Udeh Jr. (G-League) out. Besides Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles), who’s likely done for the season, the Timberwolves only have one name on their injury report, but it’s a big one, as Anthony Edwards (knee) is questionable.
With Edwards questionable, the Cavaliers are 4.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook (-180 Moneyline), with the point total set to 232.5. Minnesota is +150 on the Moneyline.
Below, I’ll break down tonight’s contest and offer a prediction.
Minnesota Timberwolves at Cleveland Cavaliers preview, prediction
The Timberwolves have played three teams that finished in the Eastern Conference top 10 last season and have won each game by at least 20 points, although the Toronto Raptors scratched Kawhi Leonard (knee) late, taking some of the shine off of that win. In general, though, the Ball-Edwards-Jonathan Kuminga trio has worked brilliantly, as Minnesota ranks fifth in offensive rating after finishing 13th last season. The Timberwolves’ big-man depth took a hit when they traded away Naz Reid and Julius Randle, but Rudy Gobert continues to be one of the league’s best anchors, as they lead the league in defensive rating after finishing eighth in 2025/26.
Cleveland, meanwhile, looked good for most of its season-opening defeat against the Philadelphia 76ers before blowing that 29-point lead, the largest squandered advantage by any NBA team in its season opener. Then, the Cavaliers managed a four-point win over the young Brooklyn Nets. Their two summer acquisitions have had mixed track records so far, as Peyton Watson hasn’t shot the ball well, but Mario Hezonja has proven to be a valuable bench piece in his first season back in the NBA since 2019/20. Cleveland had the sixth-best offense and 15th-best defense last season, and given its relatively stable roster, I expect similar results in 2026/27.
Timberwolves at Cavaliers pick, best bet
The Cavaliers have done a better job getting to the rim and a much better job finishing so far this season, which could be sustainable if Edwards, who attempted 4.5 restricted-area tries per game last season and made more than 70% of them, doesn’t play. Even if he does suit up, I’d expect Cleveland to maintain that edge to a lesser extent, as Ball got to the restricted area just 2.5 times per game in 2025/26 and made fewer than 60% of his tries. Both teams were among the best rim-protecting units in 2025/26, and given that each is led by a former Defensive Player of the Year in four-time winner Gobert and 2024/25 winner Evan Mobley, that should continue to be the case. The Cavaliers were slightly better than Minnesota at dissuading drives to the basket last season, but they’ve allowed the most layups in their first two games.
The teams were about even on the glass last season, but the Timberwolves lead the league in rebounding percentage in the early part of the season. Ball is one of the league’s best rebounding guards despite not crashing the glass very actively this season, and second-year pro Joan Beringer has emerged as a capable glass-clearing backup big. I also expect Minnesota to maintain the edge in transition that it had last season, as Ball and Kuminga are both athletic transition threats and James Harden and Donovan Mitchell tend to turn the ball over frequently. However, the Timberwolves were indisciplined in 2025/26 and Cleveland excellent at getting to the line, and both of those trends have generally carried over into 2026/27.
Both teams are capable of getting white-hot from deep, but Minnesota could have a slight edge, given that it has finished in the top six in three-point percentage in each of the last three complete seasons. Last season, the Timberwolves generated 2.7 more wide-open three-pointers per game than the Cavaliers did and got unlucky to connect at a lower rate, although potentially losing Edwards’ gravity might hurt some if he sits. On the other side of the ball, Minnesota allowed 2.2 fewer wide-open threes per game than Cleveland in 2025/26, although it has given up more uncontested looks so far this season. The Cavaliers should probably benefit from luck normalization (four of the five Timberwolves with at least three threes per game have made at least 40% of them), but even after adding Watson and Hezonja, I trust Minnesota’s shooting talent slightly more.
Home-court advantage might not be a big deal — last season, the Timberwolves were merely 1.0 points per 100 possessions worse on the road than at home and Cleveland only 0.3 points per 100 possessions better — and I just think Minnesota is the better team. The Timberwolves have finished terribly this season, but they have still picked up dominant wins over a trio of solid teams. Shooting luck has played a role, and I don’t expect another 20-point win, but +150 feels like excellent value if Edwards plays.
