The Los Angeles Clippers (12-8) and Minnesota Timberwolves (8-10) will meet in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from the Target Center in Minneapolis. The game will broadcast live on ESPN.
The Timberwolves are 6-point favorites over the Clippers on the spread (Wolves -6), with the over/under set at 216.5 total points. Minnesota is a -225 favorite to win outright, while Los Angeles is +185 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Timberwolves vs Clippers predictions and NBA picks for Friday, November 29.
Clippers vs. Timberwolves Picks, Prediction
Spread
With my model making the Clippers no worse than a 3-point underdog, there's sufficient value at the current number of Minnesota +6.
Moneyline
If you're looking for an even better payout, you might want to take a punt on the Clippers' moneyline. Based on my point spread projection, the Clippers' ML should be closer to +125, yet it's as high as +185 at Caesars.
Over/Under
My underlying data has a projection closer to 219, as the over could have added value with teams more incentivized to win by margin under the NBA Cup format.
My Pick: Over 216.5
Clippers vs Timberwolves Odds
| Clippers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6 -110 | 216.5 -110 / -110 | +185 |
| Timberwolves Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6 -110 | 216.5 -110 / -110 | -225 |
- Clippers vs Timberwolves spread: Timberwolves -6
- Clippers vs Timberwolves over/under: 216.5 points
- Clippers vs Timberwolves moneyline: Wolves -225, Clippers +185
- Clippers vs Timberwolves best bet: Over 216.5
Clippers vs. Timberwolves Preview
The Timberwolves are struggling to find the form that led them to their second conference final appearance in franchise history. After a 14-4 start in the previous campaign, they're just 8-10 through the same stretch this season amid a four-game losing streak.
Things have gotten so bad that Minnesota's best player, Anthony Edwards, expressed all his frustrations to the media following a recent loss to the Kings.
"We soft as hell as a team, internally. Not to the other team, but internally, we soft. We can't talk to each other," Edwards said. "Just a bunch of little kids. Just like we playing with a bunch of little kids…And we've got to figure it out, because we can't go down this road."
Generally, when there's dissatisfaction among the ranks, the public often learns about it following one of those "players-only meetings." However, it appears that Edwards has completely bypassed that option and to go ahead and air out the team's dirty laundry in front of the whole world.
There's no question that their performances haven't been good. They have just one victory thus far against a team with a winning record. The one bright spot is their Pythagorean Expectation, which suggests their record should be closer to 10-8.
Minnesota has to find a way to rediscover its defensive form. It went from leading the league in defensive efficiency with a 108.4 rating to dropping to 12th with a 112.1 value. Interestingly, five teams currently have better defensive numbers than the Timberwolves did all of last season.
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch won't like what he sees if he reviews his team's hustle stats. Minnesota ranks at the bottom in contested 3-pointers with just 12.9 per game. Another way to assess a team's effort level is to examine how it performs defensively in transition. When defending fast break opportunities, the Timberwolves rank in the bottom third of the league (16.8 points allowed).
If the Timberwolves were expecting their talent to be enough to get back to the summit in the Western Conference, they will have to learn to put in the hard work on and off the court to reach their goal.
Clippers vs. Timberwolves Prediction
While my power ratings point to value with the Clippers, I'm more intrigued with this situational spot following Edwards's outburst to the media. When making those kinds of comments, you must back them up with your play and lead by example. At just 23 years of age, Edwards is one of the rising superstars in the league.
And as a Georgia product, it's only natural that he has a bit of that bulldog mentality. As a result, I'd expect him to put in a big performance on Friday night against the Clippers. Bet365 lists Edwards's scoring prop at 26.5, and I like his chances of exceeding that projection. He's exceeded the number in his last three games and three of his previous four meetings against the Clippers.
But it's not enough to simply put up points. As a leader, he'll also need to set the tone defensively. Edwards has a prop of 1.5 steals + blocks, which he's covered in his last six games when facing an opponent that ranks in the bottom third for steals allowed. The Clippers fit that criteria, making this a worthwhile situational spot for Edwards to go over the number.
Best Bet: Over 216.5 (-110)
Same Game Parlay: Anthony Edwards Over 26.5 Points, Anthony Edwards Over 1.5 Steals + Blocks (+190)
Timberwolves vs Clippers Betting Trends
