New Orleans has won four straight, but its latest escape required a comeback in regulation and another in overtime. Minnesota also needed a late push in its last game, then created enough separation to leave Houston with a 10-point win. Friday’s meeting tests whether the Pelicans can make their offense count before they need another rescue, against a Minnesota team that just showed how quickly it can turn a close game into a comfortable finish.
Both teams found answers late
Minnesota’s 117–107 win over Houston showed how several contributors can change a close finish. Ayo Dosunmu scored 21 points, LaMelo Ball delivered 12 of his 20 in the fourth quarter, and Jonathan Kuminga supplied timely threes and a tip-in, according to AP’s recap on ESPN. The Timberwolves turned a two-point lead into breathing room during the final minutes.
For New Orleans, the recovery was more dramatic. The Pelicans erased a 13-point deficit late in the third quarter to beat Utah 120–113 in overtime. Zion Williamson scored all 23 of his points after halftime, Derik Queen put up 14 of his 20 in the fourth, and Saddiq Bey finished with 22. As AP reported via ESPN, New Orleans also answered a six-point overtime deficit with 14 straight points.
Both teams found scoring from several players when they needed it. Minnesota’s surge built a cushion; New Orleans had to keep repairing deficits. The Pelicans have shown they can recover, but avoiding another chase would give their offense more room to control the game.
A spread that tests both teams’ early success
DraftKings makes Minnesota a 4.5-point road favorite. The Timberwolves are 6–3 outright and 8–1 against the spread this season; New Orleans is 4–4 outright and 6–2 against the spread. Both teams have covered their last four games. That makes the streaks a poor way to separate them. The more useful distinction is how their offense and defense match up at Friday’s number.
Our team grades help explain the competing cases. Minnesota’s defense carries a B- against New Orleans’ D+, while the Pelicans’ offense is A- against the Timberwolves’ C-. New Orleans has scored at least 120 points in each game of its four-game winning streak, including Wednesday’s overtime. Minnesota has held its last two opponents to 100 and 107. The matchup tests whether the Pelicans can maintain their production against the stronger defensive profile.
New Orleans also has a frontcourt availability issue: Thursday’s report ruled Yves Missi out with a knee injury. Trey Murphy III was listed as probable with a knee issue after missing the Utah game. Minnesota’s Terrence Shannon Jr. was questionable with a hip injury. Missi’s absence leaves New Orleans without a frontcourt option, while Murphy’s probable designation stops short of confirming his return. The starting groups remain unconfirmed.
Our rebound projections give New Orleans about 45 to Minnesota’s 42. That offers the Pelicans another area to compete, though these are total rebounds rather than a forecast of extra offensive chances. Finishing defensive possessions would help New Orleans get more value from its scoring.
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The total needs more than an overtime headline
The total is 230.5 points. Six of New Orleans’ eight games this season have gone over their respective totals, compared with five of Minnesota’s nine. The Pelicans’ scoring run makes that pattern understandable, but their latest result deserves a closer look: the Utah game was tied at 104 after regulation. Overtime lifted the combined score from 208 to 233 and carried it over that night’s 231.5 line.
Minnesota’s win in Houston offers the other useful comparison. It went over a 219.5 total with 224 combined points, a result that still fell below tonight’s threshold. Both teams are coming off Overs, but the scoring needed to clear Friday’s number is a separate question.
The Pelicans’ scoring run is the strongest challenge to Minnesota’s defensive profile, but their latest win shows how much a final score can hide. Against the road favorite, getting stops early would let Williamson, Queen and the other contributors build on a lead rather than rescue the game again. Minnesota’s task is to keep that offense within reach long enough for its own scoring depth to matter at the finish.
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