Welcome back to CBS Sports' NBA betting notebook. Each week we'll take a look at a few trends going on throughout the league from a betting perspective, as well as examine the game of the week. All trends are courtesy of Oddshark. 

Last week's record: 2-0. Season record: 2-0

Trending up: Spurs at Timberwolves

Trend to know: Timberwolves are 4-2 both ATS and SU in their last six games

The Timberwolves are coming off a really rough night against old friend Jimmy Butler and the 76ers, but overall, they've been playing some solid basketball lately, going 4-2 in their last six games, including wins over the Thunder and Pelicans. In that stretch, they've also gone 4-2 against the spread.

Now, on Friday night, they're back at home with a chance to improve both marks when they take on the Spurs -- a team who has been struggling a bit lately, losing three of their last five games. And even though it's still just mid-January, this is an important game given the crowded Western Conference standings. The Wolves are currently in 11th place, but just three games out of a playoff spot. A win in this game would serve them well, and there is reason to believe they can get the victory.

For one, the Wolves are coming off that embarrassing loss to the Sixers, and will be eager to put that behind them with a strong performance back at home. And that last note is important. This game is in Minnesota.

The Wolves are 15-7 at home this season, while the Spurs are just 8-14 on the road. Additionally, the Wolves are 14-8 against the spread at home, so if they win, they almost always cover -- a good trend considering how low the spread is in this game.

One main reason why those disparities between locations exist for these two teams? For the season, they each have middle of the road defenses. But at home, the Wolves turn into a top-10 defensive team, allowing 104.9 points per 100 possessions. Meanwhile, on the road, the Spurs fall apart defensively, sporting a defensive rating of 113.4 -- 25th in the league for teams on the road.

Bet: Timberwolves -1.5

Over/Under: Cavaliers at Jazz

Trend to know: Total has gone over in seven of Cavaliers' last eight games

The Cavaliers' recent stretch has produced score totals reminiscent of All-Star Games, with the over hitting in seven of their last eight contests. Unsurprisingly, they've won just one of those contests. In fact, they've won only once in the last month. Because, as you may well have surmised from the statistic about their recent run on the over, they play absolutely no defense.

For the season, they're the worst defensive team in the league by a decent margin. Yet over their last eight games, they're allowing a shocking 126.3 points per 100 possessions. To put that in perspective, over the last five seasons, the average defensive rating of the worst defense in the league is 110.9. For the Cavs to be allowing this many points is truly a historic run of bad defense. As their lengthy Western Conference road trip continues with a game in Salt Lake City on Friday night (9 p.m. ET -- watch on fuboTV with the NBA League Pass extension), there's no reason to expect their defense to suddenly pick up.

Even the Jazz's average offense should be able to put up all sorts of points on this Cavaliers team. Plus, by the fourth quarter, Utah should have this one wrapped up, allowing both teams to coast to the finish and inflating the score total.

Bet: Over 214.5

Game of the week: Oklahoma City Thunder at Philadelphia 76ers

In one of the first Saturday showcase games, the Thunder and 76ers will square off on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET. It will be a meeting of two teams trending in opposite directions.

The Thunder enter having lost five of their last six games, including their last two against the Hawks and Lakers. Meanwhile, the Sixers have won three games in a row, and seven of their last nine contests.

Along with the fact that they haven't been playing well lately -- especially defensively -- some more bad news for the Thunder is that they've been just about .500 on the road this season at 12-11, while the Sixers are elite at home. Just past the halfway point, the Sixers are 19-4 in Philly.

With how the two teams are trending, combined with their home/road splits, the Sixers should be able to extend their winning streak.

Bet: Sixers -2