The Minnesota Timberwolves (18-44) are on the road Tuesday night to take on the Houston Rockets (15-46), the only team in the NBA with a worse record than their own. Tip-off is at 9 p.m. ET in the Toyota Center. Below, we analyze the Timberwolves-Rockets odds and lines, with NBA picks and predictions.
The Timberwolves are coming off two straight wins in a home-and-home against the first-place Utah Jazz.
They beat them Saturday in Utah 101-96 and followed that up with a 105-104 win in Minnesota last night. It was the first time since the first two games of the season in December the Timberwolves won two consecutive games.
The Rockets have lost four straight games and nine of their last 10. They only have five wins since February 1. With seven wins, they have the fewest home victories in the NBA this season.
Timberwolves at Rockets: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:30 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Timberwolves -125 (bet $125 to win $100) | Rockets +105 (bet $100 to win $105)
- Against the spread/ATS: Timberwolves -1.5 (-110) | Rockets +1.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 229.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Timberwolves at Rockets: Key injuries
Timberwolves
- SG Malik Beasley (hamstring) out
Rockets
- PG D.J. Augustin (ankle) out
- SG Sterling Brown (knee) out
- SG Eric Gordon (groin) out
- SF David Nwaba (wrist) out
- PG John Wall (hamstring) out
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Timberwolves at Rockets: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Rockets 112, Timberwolves 109
Money line (ML)
The Timberwolves are playing surprisingly well right now. They have won two straight over the team with the best record in the league and are 4-2 in their last six games.
They still have the league’s fewest road wins with seven, but Houston’s seven wins at home are also the fewest in the league.
Minnesota has not won three games in a row all year. While they are playing better, when you have two teams as bad as both these two teams have been, you can’t count on consistency.
After two big wins, they are bound for a letdown. Take the ROCKETS (+105).
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Against the spread (ATS)
Houston’s 21-40 ATS record is the worst in the league. Minnesota is 28-31-3 ATS.
The Timberwolves have covered the spread in three of the past four games. and pushed on the other. The Rockets are 3-2 ATS in their last five games and covered the spread in their last two games.
Minnesota is a league-worst 4-11-2 ATS after a victory, so take the ROCKETS +1.5 (-110).
Over/Under (O/U)
Houston has the fourth-lowest Over percentage in the league at 43.3% and has averaged only 102.2 points per game in the last six contests. Three of the last four games have gone Under.
Three of the last five games for the Timberwolves have gone Under the total. They have been hot and cold with their offense, scoring 119 or more three times in their last eight games and then 105 or fewer in the other five.
Take UNDER 229.5 (-110).
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