The Minnesota Timberwolves travel to Barclays Center to play the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night. Minnesota is 44-32 and sitting in seventh place in the Western Conference. Brooklyn is 25-51 and near the bottom of the East standings.
These teams met once earlier this season, with Minnesota winning 101-86 on February 24. The Timberwolves are coming off a double-overtime win over Denver. Brooklyn just beat Dallas and has won back-to-back games for the first time since February.
Nets Preview – Playing Out the Season With Energy
Brooklyn has had a rough second half, going just 13-31 since the start of January. The team has moved on from many key players and is focused on its young core. Despite the changes, the Nets upset Dallas on Monday 113-109 behind strong guard play.
K.J. Johnson scored 24 points in that win while D’Angelo Russell added 18 points and 11 assists. Jalen Wilson continues to play heavy minutes, and Nic Claxton anchors the defense inside. Cam Thomas and De’Anthony Melton are out for the year, and several others remain questionable with minor injuries including Cam Johnson and Noah Clowney.
The Nets are getting more production from Ziaire Williams and rookie-level players stepping into bigger roles. Brooklyn is allowing over 115 points per game and ranks low in team defense. Their home record is 14-25, and they’ve struggled late in games, often giving up leads in the second half.
Timberwolves Preview – Battling for Playoff Position
Minnesota pulled off a wild 140-139 win over the Nuggets in double overtime on Tuesday. Anthony Edwards had 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit the winning free throws. The Wolves are now tied for the sixth spot in the West with Memphis.
Julius Randle added 26 points and 9 boards, while Rudy Gobert had 19 points and 12 rebounds. Mike Conley dished out 8 assists and continues to lead the team in pace and playmaking. Jaden McDaniels and the bench unit provided solid minutes, especially in the second half of that game.
Minnesota averages 114.5 points per game and is top 10 in fourth-quarter scoring. The Wolves have hit the team total over in 29 of their last 40 games. Their defense is centered around Gobert in the paint, and they continue to improve on the boards and in late-game situations.
Betting Prediction
Minnesota is the better team and is playing for playoff positioning. The Timberwolves should have the edge in talent, depth, and motivation. Brooklyn has shown effort but is undermanned and inconsistent on defense.
Expect the Timberwolves to push the pace and win the game behind another big performance from Edwards. Minnesota should cover the spread, and the total could push toward the over, especially with recent scoring trends. The Wolves won the first matchup by 15 points and match up well again here.
Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves -8.5
The Timberwolves are going to win this game easily on Thursday. Take Minnesota, and they should win by double digits over the Brooklyn Nets. Enjoy the game and best of luck!
