The Minnesota Timberwolves (24-25) host the Utah Jazz (30-20) Sunday at Target Center for an 8 p.m. ET tip-off. Below, we look at the Jazz vs. Timberwolves odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
The Timberwolves return home after a 1-2 road trip. They are coming off back-to-back losses at Golden State (124-115 Thursday) and at Phoenix (134-124 Friday).
Utah has lost six of its past seven games – going 1-5-1 against the spread (ATS) – including four straight with the most recent being a 119-109 loss at Memphis Friday.
This will be the fourth and final regular-season meeting between the two teams. The Jazz won the first three with a 1-1-1 ATS record.
Jazz at Timberwolves odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:01 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Jazz -120 (bet $120 to win $100) | Timberwolves +100 (bet $100 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Jazz -1.5 (-108) | Timberwolves +1.5 (-112)
- Over/Under (O/U): 226.5 (O: -107 | U: -115)
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Jazz at Timberwolves key injuries
Jazz
- C Rudy Gobert (calf) out
- SG Donovan Mitchell (concussion) questionable
Timberwolves
- PG Patrick Beverley (ankle) questionable
- PG D’Angelo Russell (shin) questionable
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Jazz at Timberwolves odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Timberwolves 121, Jazz 111
Money line
BET TIMBERWOLVES (+100) for 1.25 units because this is a terrible matchup for the Jazz with Gobert out of the lineup. Utah is 1-7 in games Gobert misses, and T-Wolves C Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the best big men in the NBA.
KAT ranks in the top 20 of PER and effective field-goal shooting (eFG%). Gobert was awesome in the first three Jazz-Timberwolves meetings this season, averaging 15.7 points and 14.3 rebounds per game with a plus-28 net rating.
Utah’s defense falls off dramatically when Gobert isn’t in the game. He grades in the 97th percentile of bigs in adjusted on/off defensive rating, according to CleaningTheGlass.com (CTG).
Utah allows 10 fewer points per 100 possessions when Gobert is on the floor but 5 more points per 100 possessions when backup C Hassan Whiteside is on the floor.
Gobert’s absence will allow easier access to the bucket for T-Wolves second-year SF Anthony Edwards, who’s one of the best athletes and penetrators in the Association.
Utah opponents are shooting 4.0% worse at the rim when Gobert is in the game and 2.2% better when Whiteside is in, per CTG. Edwards should have no problem scoring.
BET 1.25 units on the TIMBERWOLVES (+100).
Against the spread
PASS. I’m confident enough to just bet Minnesota SU.
Over/Under
BET OVER 226.5 (-107) for a three-fourths unit only because I like the Minnesota sides more than the total in this game.
However, the T-Wolves are second in adjusted-offensive rating in January and the Jazz are 25th in adjusted defensive rating.
Also, Utah is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the NBA and Minnesota is 19th in defensive eFG%.
The T-Wolves play at the fourth-fastest pace in the league and the Jazz play a higher frequency of transition basketball when Gobert is off the floor.
BET OVER 226.5 (-107).
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