The Minnesota Timberwolves will travel to take on the Orlando Magic in a Wednesday night NBA matchup at the Amway Center in Orlando. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NBA odds series, which includes a Timberwolves-Magic prediction and pick, laid out below.
Minnesota has gone 6-8 this season, snapping a three-game losing streak with a victory over Cleveland on Sunday. Head coach Chris Finch reached the playoffs last season with a 46-36 record. Minnesota has multiple stars who can lead this team to another playoff appearance, but it has been a rough start acclimating Rudy Gobert to the lineup.
Orlando has suffered through a 4-10 start to the season, snapping a two-game winning streak with a loss to Charlotte on Monday. Orlando was awful last season, going 22-60 and earning the top spot in the NBA Draft. Ownership opted to bring back Jamahl Mosley even after a putrid season.
Here are the Timberwolves-Magic NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Timberwolves-Magic Odds
Minnesota Timberwolves: -6.5 (-108)
Orlando Magic: +6.5 (-112)
Over: 222.5 (-110)
Under: 222.5 (-110)
Why The Timberwolves Could Cover The Spread
While it hasn't been smooth sailing so far for this Timberwolves team, there still is a boatload in place. It's just a matter of it all meshing and coming together. Karl-Anthony Towns has starred once again for Minnesota, leading the team with 21.3 points per game and ranking second with 9.3 rebounds per game. Towns has shot 51.5 percent from the field and an impressive 89.1 percent from the free throw line. Third-year guard Anthony Edwards, a former first overall pick, is second on the team with 20.9 points per game. Rudy Gobert's numbers are a bit down, but he's still a force down low. D'Angelo Russell has been mostly awful this season, but he just had his best game of the season against Cleveland with 30 points on 11-of-13 shooting.
Minnesota ranks fourth in the league with a 48.1 shooting percentage from the field. Scoring 114.3 points per game, Minnesota's offense ranks 12th in the league. Defense has been a bit of a struggle for Minnesota, however, despite the addition of Gobert. Opponents have scored 116.2 points per game on the Timberwolves, which ranks 22nd in the league. On the positive side, Minnesota has held opponents to a 44.9 shooting percentage, which ranks third in the league.
Why The Magic Could Cover The Spread
Paolo Banchero has lived up to the hype of being the first overall pick, leading the team with 23.5 points per game. Banchero has shot 46.1 percent from the field and is pulling down 8.3 rebounds per game, which ranks second on the team. Unfortunately, Banchero is just one of many Magic players ruled out in this game, putting more pressure on Franz Wagner to lead the charge.
Wagner ranks second with 18.6 points and 4.4 assists per game, so he could very well be up to the challenge. A big game for Wagner might just be the only way Orlando has any chance, though there are other things for them to exploit.
Minnesota has somehow struggled to keep opponents off the boards despite its big lineup, ranking 24th in opponent rebounding per game, but Wendell Carter Jr. is questionable and could miss the game. Bol Bol is the third Magic player to average at least seven rebounds, checking in at 7.6 boards per game. Orlando ranks fourth in the league, averaging 46.1 rebounds per game.
Jalen Suggs leads the team with 5.1 assists and 1.7 steals, averaging 11.8 points per game. Cole Anthony has been out since the end of October, a key missing piece for this team, which is another tough blow as this team tries to compete.
Final Timberwolves-Magic Prediction & Pick
The Timberwolves are simpy much better than the Magic, who are missing a number of key players in this one. This is an easy pick.
Final Timberwolves-Magic Prediction & Pick: Minnesota -6.5 (-108), over 222.5 (-110)
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