The Minnesota Timberwolves will look to snap a six-game losing streak when they play host to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday evening. Both teams face uncertainty at the point guard position, with Patrick Beverley (concussion) officially sidelined for the Clippers and Jeff Teague (ankle) uncertain to play for the Wolves. Tip-off is set for 9:30 p.m. ET at the Target Center. Sportsbooks list the Clippers as 5.5-point road favorites, holding steady from the opener, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 232.5 in the latest Clippers vs. Timberwolves odds. Before you make any Clippers vs. Timberwolves picks and NBA predictions, see what SportsLine's advanced computer model has to say.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, and last season it returned a whopping $4,280 on its top-rated NBA spread and money line picks. It's already returned almost $800 in profit on all its top-rated NBA picks during the 2019-20 season and entered Week 8 on a blistering 16-7 run on all top-rated NBA against the spread picks. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Clippers vs. Timberwolves. We can tell you that the model is leaning over, and it has generated a strong against the spread pick that is hitting in almost 70 percent of simulations. You can head to SportsLine to see it. Now, here are several NBA betting lines for Clippers vs. Wolves.
- Clippers vs. Wolves spread: Clippers -5.5
- Clippers vs. Wolves over-under: 232.5 points
- Clippers vs. Wolves money line: Clippers -235, Wolves +205
- LAC: Los Angeles is 5-1 in its last six games but only 6-6 on road
- MIN: Minnesota has lost six straight and is just 3-8 at home this season
The model knows that the Timberwolves are struggling mightily on the heels of six straight losses and, during that stretch, defense has been the principal issue. However, Minnesota's offense is capable of big things and everything centers on Karl-Anthony Towns. The 24-year-old is perhaps the best offensive center in the NBA today, averaging 25.9 points per game and threatening opposing defenses with elite shooting. Towns is connecting on three-point attempts at a 41.4 percent clip and, if nothing else, that trait will force the Clippers to extend their defense. Towns is flanked by Andrew Wiggins, who is enjoying a career-best season with 24.6 points per game, and the Wolves have been one of the better teams at generating free throws this season. Considering that is a rare weakness of the Clippers defensively, it is an area for potential exploitation.
Just because the Wolves have a few edges doesn't mean Minnesota will cover the Clippers vs. Timberwolves spread on Friday night.
The model also knows that the Clippers are one of the best teams in the NBA, in part because of the team's two-way ability. L.A. is one of only a handful of teams in the league to rank in the top 10 on both offense and defense, and those numbers don't even take into account how potent the Clippers are when both of their superstars take the floor. Offensively, the Clippers rank in the top-five in getting to the free throw line but, at present, their best trait is offensive rebounding. Led by Montrezl Harrell's athleticism and force, L.A. is the best offensive rebounding team in the NBA and, with the Wolves ranking as a below-average team in protecting the defensive glass, that is a clear edge for the visiting team.
Defensively, the Clippers are terrifying, even with the caveat that the absence of Beverley is significant at the point of attack. Despite uneven figures in forcing turnovers and committing fouls, L.A. ranks as the seventh-best defense in the NBA and the numbers are even better when Kawhi Leonard and Paul George play together.
So who wins Clippers vs. Timberwolves? And which side of the spread hits in almost 70 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Clippers vs. Timberwolves spread you need to jump on Friday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
