The Minnesota Timberwolves hold onto first in the Western Conference as they visit the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers sit comfortably in eighth place in the Eastern Conference but are a far cry from the team that made the in-season tournament championship game. The Timberwolves won the first matchup, dominating the Pacers by a score of 127-109 in December. It is time to continue our NBA odds series with a Timberwolves-Pacers prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
The Timberwolves have won seven of their past ten games but ended their seven-game homestand by losing two of their last three. Minnesota dropped games to the Kings and Clippers but ended it off by beating the Trailblazers. The homestand wasn't a complete success, as questions are being raised about their form. They won four of seven games but covered just one. Fortunately for the Timberwolves, they return to the road where they are doing well this year. Minnesota has one of the best records in the NBA away from home, boasting a 20-11 mark.
Indiana's form has also dipped, losing three of their last five games. Losses to the Raptors and Spurs were the most concerning, as they were favorites in those games. The Pacers ended their road trip on a good note, dominating the Mavericks by a score of 137-120. The Pacers used a balanced offensive attack to put up 137 points on the Mavs, with nine players scoring in double-digits.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Timberwolves-Pacers Odds
Minnesota Timberwolves: +2 (-112)
Moneyline: +108
Indiana Pacers: -2 (-108)
Moneyline: -126
Over: 229 (-112)
Under: 229 (-108)
How to Watch Timberwolves vs. Pacers
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: Bally Sports North
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Timberwolves Could Cover The Spread/Win
Good defense will beat good offense most times, and if that is true in this game, it could be a long night for the Pacers. The Timberwolves can shut down the Pacers' potent offense on Thursday night, and if they do, the Pacers can't win low-scoring games. Like their matchup earlier this season, if Minnesota can hold Indiana to less than 110 points, which is rare this season, there's a good chance Indiana won't be able to temper Minnesota's offense.
Why The Pacers Could Cover The Spread/Win
This is a poor matchup for the Pacers, but fortunately for them, the Timberwolves had a poor homestand. The Timberwolves won four of seven games, but they covered just one. Minnesota will likely win this game outright due to the poor matchup, but their inability to run away with games as of late may mean that the Pacers will cover this game. The Pacers against the spread record hasn't been great over the past ten games, but they covered three of four on a recent four-game homestand.
Final Timberwolves-Pacers Prediction & Pick
This game will be a battle of the top-scoring offense and defense in the NBA. The Pacers are the top offense, averaging 123.2 points per game, while the Timberwolves allow just 106.5 points per game.
The Timberwolves have been able to sit in first in the Western Conference because their offense also ranks 19th. They average 113.3 points per game. The Pacers outscored their defensive deficiencies early in the season, as we saw all-time-high over/under totals. However, now that the 28th-ranked scoring defense in the NBA is nearing the end of the season, they are seeing why this strategy could be a problem. If the offense dries up in the playoffs, they don't have the defensive unit to stay in the series. Likewise, playing against the No.1-ranked defense on Thursday night will be an issue.
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Final Timberwolves-Pacers Prediction & Pick: Timberwolves +2 (-112)
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