Timberwolves open eight-game homestand vs. 1-8 Jazz as Beringer's broken nose clouds frontcourt

The Minnesota Timberwolves start an eight-game homestand Sunday night against a Utah Jazz team that has won only once. Minnesota's biggest question is whether Joan Beringer can play in the middle. The rookie big man broke his nose in the second half of Friday's win in New Orleans. CBS Sports, citing Dane Moore, reported that he could play through the injury in a mask. The reports conflict on his status. ESPN lists him as a game-time decision, while the Associated Press preview has him out.

The Wolves are still missing several regulars. Anthony Edwards (knee), Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) and Terrence Shannon Jr. (hip) are all listed as out. If Beringer sits, Trey Lyles likely gets more minutes. Lyles held the fort in New Orleans, but Matthew Harren of Canis Hoopus noted that he doesn't bring Beringer's "chaotic disruption on the boards." That matters because Minnesota has been winning with second chances.

With Edwards out, LaMelo Ball has carried the offense. Harren notes that Ball has scored 20 or more in four of the last five games and kept attacking Zion Williamson at the rim on Friday. Ayo Dosunmu has also been strong at the point of attack, piling up steals and turning them into fast breaks.

Utah's absences hit the same spot. Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) and Jusuf Nurkic (foot) are both out, which leaves Jaxson Hayes and Mo Bamba at center. According to Canis Hoopus, the Jazz rank 29th in offensive rating and 23rd in defensive rating and give the ball away more than 17 times a game. Minnesota has a top-three defense and ranks in the top 10 at forcing turnovers. Utah is a top-five team on the defensive glass but struggles to rebound its own misses. Its young backcourt of Keyonte George and No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson has been uneven enough that Will Hardy has started splitting them up.

What it means for Sunday

Minnesota is 7-3 and has won three straight: at Houston, against Milwaukee and at New Orleans. Over 10 games the Wolves have scored 118.4 points a game and allowed 107.7, a margin of about plus-10.7. They are 3-1 at Target Center, with the only home loss coming 119-114 to Golden State. Four of their seven wins came by 22 points or more. Utah arrives at 1-8, 15th in the West, with Minnesota sixth.

The board sees a lopsided game. Across the 12 venues on this site's game page, the Wolves are heavy favorites. Novig has them at -525 on the moneyline and the Jazz at +488. Novig's spread is Minnesota -11.5 at -104, close to the Wolves' season scoring margin. The venues are about a point apart. BetRivers offers the best Wolves price anywhere at -10.5, but charges -143 for it. Sportsbook hold on the spread runs from 2.4% to 5.4%.

The total shows the same one-point spread between venues. Novig sits at 224.5, with the over at +102 and the under at -106. BetRivers has the best over price at 223.5 for -107. Minnesota's games have averaged about 226 combined points this season. The number Sunday may depend on whether Beringer is available to win the extra possessions the Wolves have relied on.

Tip is 7 p.m. Central on DAZN MIN, KJZZ and Jazz+. Season numbers are on the Timberwolves team page.