Minnesota is 2-0 and finally plays at home, with unbeaten Toronto in town for the season opener on Sunday night. Six games over nine days follow, and the week is already shaped by a quick turnaround to Cleveland and a Saturday date with the team that ended last season.
Toronto Tonight
The Raptors arrive 2-0 under Darko Rajakovic, and they are in the middle of a road swing, with this their second straight game away from home. Scottie Barnes leads them at 25.5 points a night, with RJ Barrett next at 21.5 and Immanuel Quickley adding 6.5 assists. Toronto lists Nate Bittle as out, a right foot and leg designation. Minnesota brings its own perfect record: 131-106 at Miami on October 21 and 115-93 at Orlando on October 23. Both were road wins, and neither was close late. NBA TV carries the game.
Cleveland on Monday
There is no breathing room after tonight. Minnesota goes on the road to face the Cavaliers on October 26, a back-to-back that tests a rotation with Chris Finch still sorting out minutes. Terrence Shannon Jr. has been in the middle of that, with his workload rising to 23.8 minutes. Then the schedule settles at home: Golden State on Wednesday, October 28, and the Clippers on Friday, October 30, a game that counts in the Emirates NBA Cup. Three games in the first four days is a heavy load for a roster that is 16 deep and has been playing its defense through Rudy Gobert, 34, who is averaging 31.5 minutes.
The Spurs Saturday
The opponent worth circling is San Antonio, on the road on October 31. The Spurs beat Minnesota 4-2 in last spring's conference semifinals, and nothing about a November-eve rematch counts for more than one regular-season game. It still lands after the Clippers and before a home game against Milwaukee on November 2, so it caps a stretch that will say plenty about depth. Minnesota will play all of it without DiVincenzo, who is out with a right Achilles injury and has an estimated return of April 2, 2027. The rest of the rotation is on the floor and winning, which is the best case a coach can have in week one.
Who do the Timberwolves play this week?
Minnesota hosts Toronto on October 25, visits Cleveland on October 26, hosts Golden State on October 28 and the Clippers on October 30, then plays at San Antonio on October 31. Milwaukee visits on November 2.
Is Donte DiVincenzo playing for Minnesota this week?
No. He is listed out with a right Achilles injury, with an estimated return of April 2, 2027.
