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The Milwaukee Bucks are on the last of a four-game road trip as they head into Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Bucks-Timberwolves prediction and pick.
The Bucks are coming off a 135-126 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 36 points on 12 for 23 shooting and 10 rebounds. Khris Middleton also contributed with 32 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Jrue Holiday added 21 points. Brook Lopez returned to action, but the Bucks limited his playing time. The Bucks are 7-1 in March, including 2-1 on this road trip, the only loss coming to the Warriors.
The Timberwolves are coming off a 124-104 smashing of the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. Karl-Anthony Towns delivered an exceptional performance, scoring 30 points on 8 for 15 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds. Anthony Edwards chipped in 27 points, and Patrick Beverley added 18 points. Minnesota is on a three-game winning streak and has gone 9-1 over the last 10 games. They look to continue to build off that momentum here against a top-rated Bucks team.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Bucks-Timberwolves NBA odds:
NBA Odds: Bucks-Timberwolves Odds
Bucks: -3 (-110)
Timberwolves: +3 (-110)
Over: 245 (-110)
Under: 245 (-110)
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Why The Bucks Could Cover The Spread
The Bucks have consistently been one of the best teams in the NBA throughout the last couple of seasons, and this year is no different. They are second in the Eastern Conference standings, just two and a half games behind the top-seeded Miami Heat. The race in the East is tight as the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, and Chicago Bulls are right behind them, so there is plenty on the line with 12 games left in the season.
In the last meeting with the Wolves, the Bucks fell 113-108 at home. It was a game in which they were missing several players, including Holiday and Lopez. Antetokounmpo powered them through with 40 points on 15 for 23 shooting and 16 rebounds. It was not enough as the Bucks could not complete the comeback. At the time, Milwaukee was short-handed, as they were without the services of Holiday and Lopez. Both will be available to play in this game, and Lopez should see increased minutes. Getting both these players back will give Antetokounmpo and Middleton the support they need, and it could provide the difference.
Antetokounmpo is pacing the Bucks with 29.8 points per game, while also being their master on the boards, grabbing 11.5 rebounds per game. Holiday is their distribution king, as he leads the team with 6.7 assists per game. His ability to get the ball to his teammates could provide pivotal in this battle in Minnesota. The Bucks will cover the spread if they can hit their shots and slow the Wolves down. Their 3-point shooting ability is superior and could come into play, giving Milwaukee the extra boost.
Why The Timberwolves Could Cover The Spread
The Wolves have a chance to sweep the season series with the Bucks. When they beat the Bucks back in October, they had a different leader pacing them. While Towns is the face of the franchise, it was D'Angelo Russell who led Minnesota on this night. He scored 29 points on 12 for 25 shooting, including 3 for 11 from beyond the arc. Towns added 25 points on 9 for 13 shooting, going 3 for 5 from the 3-point line. Russell was quiet in the win over the Lakers, only scoring six points on 2 for 11 shooting from the field. The Wolves will need more than that from him if they hope to achieve victory.
Edwards will be a key factor for them as he was in the previous game. In the win over Milwaukee, Edwards provided 25 points on 9 for 24 shooting from the field. Edwards and Russell helping Towns will be the difference-maker in whether the Wolves can pull off the win. Beverley gives Minnesota another threat they can utilize.
Towns is their scoring leader averaging 24.9 points per game and also grabbing 9.9 rebounds per game. Russell has been a key playmaker on the floor, generating 7.1 assists per game. The Wolves will cover the spread if they can slow Antetokounmpo and force him to redirect the ball to his teammates. They currently rank third in blocked shots, so not letting the Bucks get easy shots will be a big indicator of whether the Wolves can pull off this win or even cover the spread.
Final Bucks-Timberwolves Prediction & Pick
The Bucks are healthier now and will play the Wolves with nearly their entire team intact. Antetokounmpo is still a force to be reckoned with and has plenty of support in the rare case that he cannot deliver. These are the only two teams with at least six games of 135 points scored or more this season. The irony is that it did not happen during their last game, which is likely due to their solid defense. Therefore, the best bet is to take a motivated Milwaukee team looking to avoid a sweep. The Bucks win and cover the small spread.
Final Bucks-Timberwolves Prediction & Pick: Bucks -3 (-110)
