The NBA season is officially underway and opening week carries on with an out-of-conference matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors. Our NBA odds series continues with a Timberwolves-Raptors prediction and pick.

With a season tainted by consistent injuries, especially to big man Karl-Anthony Towns, many believe this season to be the true test of the big man experiment for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Many people around the league will watch Towns and Rudy Gobert to see how their chemistry develops, but that is not the biggest story in Minnesota. Instead, it revolves around the continued rise to superstardom for Anthony Edwards. After a dominant showing at the FIBA World Cup, Edwards appears primed to lead this team to a successful season.

After an up-and-down season in Toronto, the Raptors are looking to come out of the gates strong this season. First-year head coach Darko Rajakovic will have his work cut out for him as he has some big shoes to fill with the departure of Nick Nurse. However, All-Star power forward Pascal Siakam will do his best to make Rajakovic's job as easy as possible. With a lot of uncertainty surrounding certain players' futures on this roster, success to begin the season is a must.

Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NBA Odds: Timberwolves-Raptors Odds

Minnesota Timberwolves: -1 (-112)

Toronto Raptors: +1 (-108)

Over: 222 (-110)

Under: 222 (-110)

How to Watch Timberwolves vs. Raptors

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT

TV: Bally Sports North, NBA League Pass

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Timberwolves Could Cover The Spread

At only 22 years old, shooting guard Anthony Edwards will be the best player on the floor in the hefty majority of matchups Minnesota plays this year, including this one. The high-flying guard is one of the most fun players in the league to watch for good reason. He attacks the rim unlike any other. Consistently putting his opponents on posters night in and night out, he will look to do the same in Toronto. In his lone game against the Raptors last season, he dropped 23 points, five rebounds, and seven assists to aid in a +12 +/- rating and carry his team to a two-point win. Since then, the Raptors backcourt has only regressed, so look for Edwards to perform even better this time.

Although lockdown forward Jaden McDaniels will not play in this game, Minnesota still has an incredible length in their starting lineup. He will be replaced by premier 3&D threat 6'9″ forward Kyle Anderson. This will round out a starting five with two big men 7'0″ or taller and a backcourt with two very shifty guards. The Raptors are no slouches regarding the length department, either. Still, how the frontcourt can anchor down the interior with their length and the backcourt can blow right by its opponents with speed is a terrifying combination that the Raptors may not be ready for.

Why The Raptors Could Cover The Spread

Arguably the most underrated player in the league, Raptors forward Pascal Siakam will look to keep doing what he has been doing since he arrived in Toronto. Coming off of an All-Star appearance and All-NBA snub of a season, at 29 years old, Siakam looks to be entering the prime of his career. He dominated in the most recent game against the Timberwolves in Toronto. He outplayed, outpaced, and outhustled Gobert and McDaniels on offense. Siakam tallied 27 points on 10-16 shooting from two-point territory and added ten rebounds and six assists to help in the 15-point defeat of Minnesota. With this home opener, look for him to do the same against these opposing bigs.

An underrated player and coach pairing coming into this season is the Dennis Schroder + Darko Rajakovic combination. When Rajakovic came into Toronto, he made a point that he wanted to go out and get his guy to fill their void at point guard. He brought in Schroder, who he worked with in Oklahoma City. Schroder had one of the best years of his career when these two were on the Thunder. In 79 games, Schroder averaged 15.5 points per game on 41.4% shooting from the field and added 4.1 assists and a career-high 3.6 rebounds per game. If these two can replicate the same success they had in Oklahoma City, the Timberwolves will be in for a long night.

Final Timberwolves-Raptors Prediction & Pick

The big men will highlight what should be a great defensive battle between two teams up North. On Toronto's front, Scottie Barnes, alongside Jakob Poeltl and Siakam, is a formidable force with plenty of length to score on anyone in the league. Then, when it comes to Minnesota, the defense between Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid and the sharpshooting Towns makes for the perfect brand of complimentary basketball.

Since the big men on both sides are guaranteed to produce, the difference in this game will be on the guards. That is why I will be laying the points with the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards enters this season as hot as anyone, coming from a sensational run at the FIBA World Cup. He will continue to do the same on opening night as he will put the league on notice throughout the season. I will be taking the Timberwolves at -1.

Final Timberwolves-Raptors Prediction & Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves -1 (-112)