The Minnesota Timberwolves (11-13) welcome the Utah Jazz (16-7) Wednesday at the Target Center for an 8 p.m. ET game. Below, we look at the Jazz vs. Timberwolves odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions, and bets.
Utah enters on a four-game winning streak with victories over the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Jazz are 12-11 ATS and 12-11 O/U with the second-best net rating.
The T-Wolves are riding a three-game losing skid with defeats coming at the hands of the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks. Minnesota is 11-13 ATS and 10-14 O/U with the 14th-best net rating.
Surprisingly, the T-Wolves beat the Jazz in all three meetings last regular season despite Utah finishing with the best overall record in the NBA. The Under cashed in all three contests.
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Jazz at Timberwolves odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:55 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Jazz -290 (bet $290 to win $100) | Timberwolves +225 (bet $100 to win $225)
- Against the spread (ATS): Jazz -6.5 (-115) | Timberwolves +6.5 (-107)
- Over/Under (O/U): 219.5 (O: -115 | U: -107)
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Jazz at Timberwolves key injuries
Jazz
- None
Timberwolves
- PG D’Angelo Russell (ankle) questionable
Jazz at Timberwolves odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Timberwolves 113, Utah 110
Money line
Slight “LEAN” to the TIMBERWOLVES (+225) because it’s such a chunky payout and I “like” Minnesota plus the points in this spot.
T-Wolves C Karl-Anthony Towns has played very well against Jazz C Rudy Gobert in their careers. In 20 career meetings vs. Gobert, KAT averaged 22.0 points per game on 51.8% shooting (41.9% from behind the arc) with 11.3 rebounds per game.
We’ve seen Gobert get run off the court by small-ball lineups that can space the floor. Well, Towns is an elite outside shooting big that can give Minnesota rim protection and the floor spacing to neutralize Gobert’s defensive effectiveness.
The difference in ball security between both squads gives the T-Wolves a strength-on-weakness edge.
Minnesota has the best defensive turnover rate and scores the second-most points off of turnovers per game. Whereas Utah allows the third-most points off of turnovers per game and has the fifth-worst offensive turnover rate.
Again, Minnesota plus the points is the much wiser wager, but I’ll “SPRINKLE” on the TIMBERWOLVES (+225).
Against the spread
Definitely BET TIMBERWOLVES +6.5 (-107) heavier than or instead of Minnesota’s money line because this is a Pros vs. Joe’s game in the betting market.
According to the Yahoo! Sports app, a slight majority of the wagers are on the Jazz laying the points, but roughly 70% of the cash is on the T-Wolves getting points. Typically in sports betting, it’s profitable to follow the money especially when it’s flowing in the opposite direction as the betting public.
Over/Under
PASS with a slight “lean” to the Over 219.5 (-115) because the T-Wolves should be able to score a bunch of easy buckets off of turnovers and the Jazz lead the NBA in offensive rating.
However, both teams are top-eight in defensive effective field-goal shooting and the Under has cashed in six of the past seven Jazz-Timberwolves meetings.
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