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The Minnesota Timberwolves will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Timberwolves-Thunder prediction and pick.
The Timberwolves have been one of the most surprising teams in the NBA this season. They entered this year with low expectations, but Minnesota has earned an impressive 34-29, a mark that is good for the seventh seed in the hotly contested Western Conference. The Thunder haven't quite had the same success. Oklahoma City has been one of the worst teams in all of basketball, posting a 20-42 record on the year. Regardless of the records, these teams are filled with young talent that should make this an exciting matchup.
Here are the Timberwolves-Thunder NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Timberwolves-Thunder Odds
Minnesota Timberwolves: -9.5 (-114)
Oklahoma City Thunder: +9.5 (-106)
Over: 230.5 (-110)
Under: 230.5 (-110)
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Why The Timberwolves Could Cover The Spread
It is undeniable that the T-Wolves are the better team in this matchup. They have far more talent, and that surplus of good players will shine through on the offensive end. The Thunder have been surprisingly solid on the defensive end of the floor, but they're the perfect matchup for Minnesota nonetheless. Oklahoma City allows their opponents to shoot over 90 shots per game, one of the highest numbers in the league. The Thunder also allow opponents to hit 13 threes per game. The Timberwolves shoot the most threes per game in the NBA while also shooting the fourth-most shots per game. The Thunder have had trouble limiting the opponent's possessions all year long, and the T-Wolves will capitalize on that.
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The Thunder are struggling with injuries as they head into this game. Starting shooting guard Josh Giddey has already been ruled out of this game, and starting forward Luguentz Dort is questionable. Backups Aaron Wiggins and Kenrich Williams are also out. That's four key players that the Thunder will be missing. Oklahoma City isn't particularly deep to begin with, so that laundry list of injuries will do significant damage to their chances of covering.
Why The Thunder Could Cover The Spread
The Thunder aren't the only ones dealing with injuries. Star Minnesota forward Anthony Edwards will miss this game, while fellow starting forward Jarred Vanderbilt is considered questionable. Edwards is one of the better all-around players on the team, and Vanderbilt is a key defensive piece of the starting lineup. This spread may be a little bit too big for a Minnesota team missing two starters.
Despite their terrible record against the spread, the Thunder have been fantastic at covering the spread. Oklahoma City is currently the second-best team in the league ATS with a record of 37-21-4. That includes a 15-11-4 record against the spread at home and a 14-10-4 record as home underdogs. The Timberwolves have been solid against the spread as well, but they haven't been great on the road overall. Minnesota's winning percentage drops from 61% at home to 46% on the road.
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Final Timberwolves-Thunder Prediction & Pick
This is a fairly simple pick. It's nearly impossible to see the Thunder covering, both because the spread is small and because of their plethora of injuries. Take the Timberwolves with confidence.
Final Timberwolves-Thunder Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves: -9.5 (-114)
