8:30 p.m. vs. Philadelphia • Target Center • FSN/ESPN, 830-AM
Philly hopes to have Embiid back in lineup
Preview: Blame national TV for the late start. The Wolves (16-11) are coming off a less-than-perfect 97-92 victory over Dallas Sunday in the opener of a five-game homestand. It gave the Wolves their first back-to-back wins since Nov. 17. The 76ers (13-13) have lost four straight games, the past two on the road. Two of those losses came without star center Joel Embiid. He was held out of a loss to Cleveland to rest his surgically repaired knee, then missed Sunday's loss in New Orleans because of a stiff back.
Players to watch: Wolves C Karl-Anthony Towns is coming off a 28-point, 12-rebound, four-assist (and seven-turnover) game vs. Dallas. G Jimmy Butler scored 10 of his 22 points vs. Dallas in the fourth quarter. G Jamal Crawford has scored in double figures in three of his past four games. 76ers G/F JJ Reddick (28) and G Ben Simmons (27) combined for 55 of Philadelphia's 124 points in Sunday's loss to the Pelicans.
Numbers: Sunday was just the seventh time in franchise history that the Wolves and an opponent were within two possessions of each other the entire game. It was the first such game since Feb. 8, 2011. The Wolves are 5-2 in those games. Minnesota has won seven of its past 11 games against the 76ers. The 76ers are 1-4 when playing without Embiid.
Injuries: Wolves forward Nemanja Bjelica (foot) is out. Philadelphia's Embiid (back), guard T.J. McConnell (shoulder) and forward Dario Saric (eye) are questionable; guard Markelle Fultz (shoulder) is out.
KENT YOUNGBLOOD