Game: Phoenix Suns @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Odds: Suns -1.5, Timberwolves +1.5
Total: 237
Phoenix continues to roll even without Chris Paul with five straight wins and eight victories in the last ten games. They travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves tonight. The TWolves are also 8-2 SU in their last ten games. They did lose to Dallas 110-108 on Monday night ending a string of four straight victories.
The Suns are the only team in the Western Conference that has clinched a playoff berth. With their recent success, Phoenix has built a nine-game lead over second-place Memphis. When they get Paul back in the lineup, they will be very difficult to beat. Devin Booker has been outstanding and players like Mikal Bridges have gotten the chance to step up and contribute more.
The Timberwolves have been doing their best to avoid the play-in tournament. They continue to jockey with Denver for sixth place in the West. With their loss last night, Minnesota dropped into seventh place in the conference. They are one game behind the Nuggets, who have won seven of their last ten games.
The TWolves have the NBA’s top-scoring offense averaging 115.4 points per game. Before being held to 108 points by Dallas on Monday, Minnesota hadn’t scored fewer than 110 points in 11 straight games. Prior to Monday, the TWolves scored 138, 124, and 149 in their previous three games. Karl-Anthony Towns leads Minnesota averaging 24.9 points a game and Anthony Edwards is also over 20 a game scoring 21.1.
Where Minnesota has issues is on defense. The TWolves give up 112 points per game. That ranks 21st in the league. They do, however, rank 10th in defensive efficiency. The TWolves will have a tough time slowing down Phoenix which ranks fourth in scoring offense (114.9 ppg). Booker averages 25.9 points a game and 7-footer Deandre Ayton scores 17 a game and averages 10 rebounds. Ayton is also a solid defender and will make life difficult for Towns on the other end.
Phoenix has the best road record – 28-6 – in the NBA. It’s hard to find a situation where they don’t excel. The Suns are 54-10 SU as the favorite this season. They are 24-3 SU and 17-9-1 ATS when they are a road favorite. Over their last five games – all wins – the Suns are 4-1 ATS and they are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games against Minnesota. Phoenix has won six of those seven against the TWolves.
Minnesota is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games. The TWolves are 6-0 ATS in their last six home games. The Suns have won both games this season winning by 10 at home and by three in a game at Minnesota back in November.
The TWolves are the top Over team in the NBA with a 43-30 O/U record, but six of their last eight games have resulted in Unders. The Suns also lean Over for the season – 38-34 – and five of their last six games have seen the Over cash. Four of the last five games in the series played in Minnesota have gone Under.