Minnesota Timberwolves look to recover from a home defeat to the Chicago Bulls when they host Portland Trail Blazers, who arrive on a three-game winning run, at Target Center in the early hours of Tuesday UK time.

Micah Nori, who spent five seasons as Chris Finch's lead assistant in Minnesota, faces his former club for the first time as a head coach, and the NBA schedule sends both teams back out at the same arena the following night.

Trail Blazers vs. Timberwolves form and outlook

Minnesota's 117-106 loss to Chicago ended a five-game winning run, with the Timberwolves missing all 10 of their first-quarter three-pointers and LaMelo Ball shooting 7-of-25 on his way to 19 points.

The Timberwolves still sit fifth in the Western Conference standings at 9-4, and their last five games return 117.2 points for and 105.4 against, a margin that Portland cannot match.

Portland are fourth at 9-3 and won 120-107 at Sacramento on Friday, with Deni Avdija scoring 34 points on 11-of-13 shooting and Damian Lillard adding 29.

That win opened a six-game road trip but came against a Kings side with a 1-11 record, so the more revealing form is the pair of defeats to the Lakers and Spurs a week earlier, which left Portland's last five at 116.4 points scored and 113.4 conceded.

The season-long numbers favour the home side at the defensive end, where Minnesota's rating of 104.5 is more than six points better than Portland's 111.1, and the Timberwolves also win the rebounding battle at 48.5 per game to 44.3.

Portland have the better offensive rating at 118.8 against 116.0, which fits a side that makes more threes per game, 15.9 against 14.2.

That offensive edge has travelled, since Portland average 123.4 points on the road, but Minnesota concede only 103.6 at home, so one of those numbers has to give.

Portland's road scoring also comes at a cost, as they allow 114.1 points away from home, and a Timberwolves side that has scored 117.7 in its home games is well placed to exploit that.

What is the team news for Trail Blazers vs. Timberwolves?

Anthony Edwards remains out for Minnesota after knee surgery and Donte DiVincenzo is sidelined with an Achilles problem, which leaves Ball and Ayo Dosunmu, who averaged 24.4 and 22.0 points across the five wins before Saturday, to carry the scoring.

Jaylen Clark left Saturday's loss with right hamstring soreness and his availability is unresolved, so the wing rotation behind Jaden McDaniels and Jonathan Kuminga may shift.

Ja Morant, Vit Krejci and Shaedon Sharpe are all out for Portland, while Chris Youngblood is a game-time decision with a foot problem.

Portland are projected to start Lillard, Sidy Cissoko, Avdija, Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan, with Scoot Henderson the alternative at guard, while Minnesota are expected to field Ball, Dosunmu, McDaniels, Kuminga and Rudy Gobert.

Trail Blazers vs. Timberwolves, the matchups that could decide it

Clingan against Gobert is the contest inside, with the Portland centre having scored 21 points and taken 12 rebounds in the 108-104 win at Target Center in March, while Gobert went 0-of-7 from the field against Chicago.

At guard, Ball needs a better night from deep after going 4-of-19 from three on Saturday, while Lillard has averaged 21.2 points across Portland's last five games.

On the wings, Camara shoots 43.6% from three and will be needed to punish Minnesota's help defence, while McDaniels averages 17.0 points, third among the Timberwolves who are available, and carries a heavy defensive load against Avdija.

Trail Blazers vs. Timberwolves player props

How have the Trail Blazers and Timberwolves fared head-to-head?

Minnesota won three of the four meetings last season, but Portland took the most recent at Target Center in March, ending a run of three straight Minnesota wins in the series.

Those games were played with different rosters, since Julius Randle, who scored 41 in February's 133-109 Minnesota win, has been traded to Brooklyn, so the results say little about this version of the Timberwolves.

The teams meet in Minneapolis again the following night and then in Portland on 1 December and 2 February, so a first-night result gives either coach plenty to adjust before the rematch.

Our Trail Blazers vs. Timberwolves prediction and tips

Minnesota's home defence and edge on the glass should be enough to blunt a Portland side that leans on its perimeter shooting, and the Timberwolves look the better pick to win a game that stays on the low side.

The case for Portland rests on a 6-1 road record and an offence that scores freely away from home, yet Minnesota's 5-2 home record and the way they have held opponents down at Target Center give the stronger evidence for a home win. Portland have the scorers to keep it close, but a Minnesota team stung by a rare home defeat should respond with a tighter and lower-scoring performance.