Timberwolves forward Jimmy Butler
After an interesting offseason, the Minnesota Timberwolves (1-2) have gotten off to a difficult start as they prepare to host the Indiana Pacers (2-1) at Target Center on Monday night.
The game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on Fox Sports Indiana (in Pacers markets) and Fox Sports North (in Timberwolves markets). If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can still watch a live stream of the game (or DVR it) on your computer, phone, tablet or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
How to Watch Pacers vs Timberwolves Online if You’re in Market
Fox Sports Indiana (local markets) and Fox Sports North (local markets) are included in the main Fubo bundle, which has 85 total channels and is tailored towards sports. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the FuboTV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the FuboTV app.
If you can’t watch live, FuboTV comes with 30 hours of Cloud DVR (with the ability to upgrade to 500 hours), as well as a “72-Hour Lookback” feature, which allows you to watch games up to three days after they air even if you forgot to record them.
In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu also offers a bundle of 50-plus live TV channels, including Fox Sports Indiana (local markets) and Fox Sports North (local markets). You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
If you can’t watch live, “Hulu with Live TV” comes with 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
Fox Sports North (local markets) is included in the “Sling Blue” channel package, but Fox Sports Indiana is not available on Sling. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial right here, and you can then watch the game live on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app.
If you can’t watch live, you can get 50 hours of cloud DVR storage as an additional add-on.
How to Watch Pacers vs Timberwolves Online if You’re Out of Market
If you live outside of the Pacers or Timberwolves area, all out-of-market, non-nationally televised games can be watched through NBA League Pass. You can sign up and watch through a number of different platforms:
You can sign up for either NBA League Pass, which lets you watch all out-of-market games, or NBA Team Pass, which lets you watch all of one team’s games if they’re out of market. Once signed up, you’ll be able to watch games on your computer via the NBA.com website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the NBA app.
If you have FuboTV or sign up for a new subscription, you can add NBA League Pass to your channel bundle. After signing up, you’ll be able to watch games on your computer via the Fubo website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Fubo app.
If you have Sling TV or sign up for a new subsription, you can add NBA League Pass or NBA Team Pass to your channel bundle. Once signed up, you’ll be able to watch games on your computer via the Sling website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling app.
Preview
Head coach Tom Thibodeau is still trying to figure out how to get the most defensively out of his unit. Minnesota gave up 140 points in a loss Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks. Missing from that loss was Jimmy Butler, who sat out the second game of a back-to-back to rest after not playing at all during the preseason. Butler’s defensive presence transforms the Timberwolves into a team more closely aligned with what thibodeau demands.
Karl-Anthony Towns has been his usual self, and Andrew Wiggins looks vastly improved and is hitting shots at a higher percentage so far this season. The Butler situation will loom over the organization, including owner Glen Taylor — who Kevin Garnett had some selective words for — over the course of this season, but in the end if Wiggins reforms his game, a potential Butler deal may not be as crucial.
Derrick Rose looked like 2010 MVP Rose when he scored 28 points against the Mavericks. Rose has settled in nicely as the primary backup point guard on the Timberwolves to Jeff Teague, who has been up and down to start the season.
Indiana was the popular pick to win the Central Division. So far, Indiana has taken care of business against the Memphis Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets, but fell to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Victor Oladipo has stuffed the stat sheet so far. After not recording a steal in the Pacers’ first two games, Oladipo collected four in Indiana’s win against the Nets on Saturday night. Teammate Myles Turner has gotten off to a slow start, with just eight, 11 and 14-point efforts; he has also yet to record a double-double.
Head coach Nate McMillan and the Pacers may possibly be undermanned against the Timberwolves. Forwards Domantas Sabonis and T.J. Leaf each did not play against Brooklyn, and are questionable against against Minnesota. Sabonis is nursing a knee injury, while Leaf has an ankle injury.
Key Matchup: Oladipo has been a nightmare matchup for defenders. In the same vein, so has Jimmy Butler. Both presences sort of erase the other, so the x-factor in this game will likely come elsewhere. That elsewhere will be up front. Having Turner struggle out of the gate, in addition to not having Sabonis, may be a huge edge for the Timberwolves. Indiana doesn’t really have an answer for Towns, who should be a lock to register his first double-double (possibly triple-double) of the season on Monday.