Oklahoma City heads to Minneapolis for a matchup between star-studded rosters, as the Thunder take on the Timberwolves. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is authoring another MVP-level campaign, while Anthony Edwards carries Minnesota’s offense. Both teams enter this matchup in the top-six in the Western Conference. Who will get the win in this game? Find out below with my Thunder vs Timberwolves prediction in the NBA.
Our Thunder vs Timberwolves Pick
Pick: Timberwolves +5.5 ATS PRO
Confidence: 4/5
Game Snapshot
Matchup: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Date & Time: Thursday, January 29, 9:30 PM ET
Venue: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Broadcast: Prime Video
Key Storylines
Oklahoma City sits 38-10 with a 17-5 road record, while Minnesota stands 29-19 with a 16-8 mark at home.
Star power: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averages 32 points and 6.2 assists per game to lead OKC. Anthony Edwards leads Minnesota at 29.7 points with the ability to create shots for himself at all three levels.
Interior battle: Chet Holmgren averages 8.7 boards per game and offers elite rim protection, but Rudy Gobert’s 11.3 rebounds and interior defense could make life tougher than usual for Holmgren and the Thunder.
Supporting cast: Julius Randle tops Minnesota in assists and is coming off a 31-point game against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. Oklahoma City’s supporting cast features elite defenders like Lu Dort, who will try to make life tougher than usual for Edwards and the Wolves.
Injuries and availability: For OKC, Jalen Williams is listed out with a hamstring and Isaiah Hartenstein remains out with a calf issue. Alex Caruso is also out and Cason Wallace is questionable. For Minnesota, Terrence Shannon Jr. is listed as out with a foot concern. Edwards missed time earlier this month but has been back in action for the Timberwolves.
Situationally speaking, the Thunder have an edge thanks to the fact that the Timberwolves are on the second night of a back-to-back here. But the Thunder are also playing on the road in a very difficult venue for road teams to win in.
Head-to-Head & Betting Trends
These teams are 1-1 against each other so far this season.
The home team is 2-0 in games between the Thunder and Wolves this season.
OKC is 23-25 against the spread this season.
Minnesota enters this game with a 21-27 record against the spread.
The Timberwolves have stayed under the total in 26 of their 48 games.
The under is 25-23 in Thunder games this year.
Thunder vs Timberwolves Model Projection
Score Projection: Oklahoma City 118 – Minnesota 115
Win Probability: Oklahoma City 65%, Minnesota 35%
Final Thoughts
The Thunder could very well get a win on their home floor in this matchup, with the Timberwolves' back-to-back scheduling not doing them any favors. Still, I'm going to take the points with the Wolves in this game, as the Thunder are missing several key contributors, while the Wolves are at home and should make this a tight game throughout. Expect this game to come down to the final possessions and for it to be decided by SGA and Anthony Edwards.
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