The Indiana Pacers face a stern test against the Minnesota Timberwolves before the regular season begins. The Pacers' leading player has returned to the squad, but Tyrese Haliburton alone may not be enough to stop the Timberwolves, even in a friendly.
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers' leading player, Tyrese Haliburton, announced that he had fully recovered just before the start of pre-season. Last season, the Pacers were the reigning NBA finalists but failed to reach even 20 regular-season wins — only the Washington Wizards had a similarly poor record in the Eastern Conference. The team finished the NBA Summer League with a 2-3 record, and now the Pacers begin their bid to return to the top of the conference.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves have already shown their quality this pre-season, comfortably beating the Milwaukee Bucks (116:97). Anthony Edwards remains the Timberwolves' main scoring threat — he scored 14 points in 18 minutes. Chris Finch wants his star to build an understanding with new signing Ball as quickly as possible. Ball recorded 11 points and four rebounds in 17 minutes against the Bucks.
Indiana Pacers vs Minnesota Timberwolves Prediction
Since the start of last year's regular season, the Indiana Pacers have lost three consecutive meetings with the Minnesota Timberwolves, including one in the NBA Summer League. The Timberwolves won by at least 14 points each time. The visitors will be able to pull clear again.
