Timberwolves vs Thunder NBA Pick

NBA Betting Trends

The Timberwolves posted just their fourth straight-up victory in their last 20 games with a 94-87 win over Philadelphia as 3.5-point home favorites this past Wednesday night. They are now 20-31 SU on the year and 22-27-2 against the spread. Minnesota has really struggled on the road with a SU record of 7-18 while going 11-13-1 ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in four of their last five games.

Minnesota was a legitimate playoff contender before losing its top scorer, Kevin Love with a broken hand in early January. Even though it has seven other players scoring in double figures, the team is now ranked 21st in the NBA in scoring with an average of 95.1 points a game. The Timberwolves are shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 30.2 percent from three-point range.

Oklahoma City has had no problem putting points on the board this season with an average of 106.3 a game. However, its defense has been sketchy at best during a current three-game losing streak that includes a 122-119 loss to Houston this past Wednesday night as a three-point road favorite. The loss dropped the Thunder to 39-15 SU (31-21-2 ATS) overall, but they return home where they have gone 23-4 SU and 18-9 ATS. The total has gone OVER in five of their last six games overall.

The defense should do a much better job at containing Minnesota on Friday night, but the Thunder can always try and win this game with a heavy dose of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Durant is averaging 29 points with Westbrook chipping-in another 22.7 points a game. It also helps to have Kevin Martin scoring 15 points a game off the bench.

Prediction

These two teams have split the first two games this season with Minnesota winning 99-93 as a two-point underdog at home in late December only to see the Thunder counter with a 106-84 beatdown as 12.5-point home favorites on Jan.9 with Love out of the lineup. The total stayed UNDER in both games. I see this contest closely resembling the last time they met as Oklahoma City will look to take out its frustrations from the last three games on its division rival.

Oklahoma City 107 Minnesota 92