The Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs kick off their NBA In-Season Tournaments with a matchup on Friday night. It is time to continue our NBA odds series with a Timberwolves-Spurs prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.

It is the second night of the NBA In-Season Tournament, with group play slated for Tuesday and Friday nights this month. These teams didn't play last Friday, so it's their first game in the tournament. They are in a group that includes the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, and Oklahoma City Thunder. The tie-breaker is total points, so expect the high-scoring Spurs to continue that trend tonight. They have hit the over in seven of eight games this season. Last Friday, the tournament games hit the over in five out of seven. This may be due to teams being mindful of the tie-breaking system.

The Timberwolves hope to buck that trend, as they are the best defensive team in the NBA. Rudy Gobert is returning to his Defensive Player of the Year form, and Jaden McDaniels is becoming a name to watch. Anthony Edwards may have taken the most prominent step this season, coming in as the best player in the league based on Expected Wins. His offense has always been efficient, but he is currently ranked first in defensive metrics ahead of Gobert, Kawhi Leonard, and OG Anunoby.

The Spurs go all-out for offense, and Victor Wembanyama has lived up to the hype. It reached a fever pitch when Wembanyama went toe-to-toe with Kevin Durant and helped the Spurs beat the Phoenix Suns in back-to-back games. Since then, the Spurs have lost three in a row, including a 152-point outburst by the Indiana Pacers on Monday.

Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NBA Odds: Timberwolves-Spurs Odds

Minnesota Timberwolves: -7 (-110)

San Antonio Spurs: +7 (-110)

Over: 224.5 (-110)

Under: 224.5 (-110)

How to Watch Timberwolves vs. Spurs

Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT

TV: Bally Sports Southwest

Stream: FuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Timberwolves Could Cover The Spread

The Timberwolves offense hasn't looked great this season, but they have had one of the toughest schedules regarding opposing defenses. They won't have that problem tonight, as the Spurs are one of the worst defensive teams in the league. The offense will likely have one of their best games of the season tonight. The defense is second in rebounds, fifth in blocks, and third in opponent points in the paint. The Spurs' greatest strength is Victor Wembanyama, so having a defense that excels in these metrics will help the Timberwolves succeed tonight.

The Timberwolves may be the best team in the league to deal with the Spurs' offense. Towns and Gobert have plenty of length to look after Wembanyama in the paint. The Spurs don't have much to offer anywhere else, and it will be tough to shut down Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns. The Spurs are one of the worst teams in the league at rebounding, and the Timberwolves are one of the best. In addition, the Timberwolves have a +10.6 point differential this season, and the Spurs have -12.5. All the metrics say that the books are overvaluing the Spurs in this matchup.

Why The Spurs Could Cover The Spread

Wembanyama has shown an ability to deliver in big moments, including the previously mentioned back-to-back wins against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns. Players have been struggling to understand the hype of the in-season tournament, but there's reason to believe that Wembanyama may deliver tonight. Wembanyama comes from the European league, where an emphasis is placed on these kinds of events. Some North American players may think the idea doesn't make sense, but Wembanyama could take it as seriously as a playoff game. If Wembanyama needs any more motivation, he is taking on fellow countryman Rudy Gobert, a player he no doubt looked up to as a youth basketball player.

Final Timberwolves-Spurs Prediction & Pick

The Victor Wembanyama hype has been taking the league by storm. People thought he would single-handedly lead the Spurs back to the playoffs after being the worst team in the league last season. That prediction looked pretty solid after beating the Phoenix Suns in back-to-back games. Since then, the Spurs have suffered three straight losses. The hype in the media may have slowed down, but it looks like the books are still overvaluing the Spurs. The Timberwolves hold a +23.1 lead in point differential over the Spurs. They are tied for fourth in the league in total rebounds per game, while the Spurs are ranked 26th. Wembanyama leads the Spurs offense but will go against Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns. All signs point towards the Timberwolves having the advantage in this matchup, which makes it difficult to back the Spurs no matter how much you support Wembanyama. Take the Timberwolves in their in-season tournament opener.

The Timberwolves are struggling on the offensive end of the floor. It will improve tonight against the defensive issues that the Spurs possess, but it might not get to 224. The public will see the Spurs being 7-1 against the over and in-season tournament games going 5-2 last week, and bet the over in tonight's game. However, the Spurs haven't seen a defense like this and will struggle to keep up their offensive pace. A comparable is when the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Spurs 123-83 earlier in the season. It's not a fun bet, but there is some value on the under to go along with taking the Timberwolves on the spread.

Final Timberwolves-Spurs Prediction & Pick: Timberwolves -7 (-110) and Under 224.5 (-110)