The Portland Trail Blazers play host to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Moda Center on Saturday.

The Timberwolves (13-12) come into this matchup winning three of their last four games. What's strange about that hot streak is that it directly correlates with an injury to Katl-Anthony Towns. The big man has been ruled out for the next month with a calf tear, but some of these ancillary pieces have stepped up in his absence. D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert have all been brilliant since he went down, and one has to wonder if there were too many cooks in the kitchen before that. In any case, this club has the talent to compete with anyone, and they're going to be one of the scariest groups when KAT is ready to return.

The Trail Blazers (13-12) should have a three-game winning streak entering this matchup, but they had one of their most devastating defeats on Thursday. They lost to the Denver Nuggets, 121-120. That was one of the best games of the season, with 14 lead changes happening in the closing seven minutes. Damian Lillard appeared to have hit the game-winner with less than 10 seconds remaining, but Jamal Murray responded with a game-winning three at the buzzer to beat the Blazers. Lillard finished that game with 40 points and 12 assists, and having him back in the fold is obviously a massive boost for this overachieving team. As long as he's doing that, this club will finish much higher than anyone could have anticipated.

Minnesota swept the four-game season series over Portland last year.