Suns vs. Timberwolves prediction, odds, pick – 11/17/2024
Yesterday at 06:31 PM
The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Phoenix Suns for the first time since sweeping them in the first round of the 2023 playoffs. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series with a Suns-Timberwolves prediction and pick.
The Suns are coming off their worst performance of the season. They fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 99-83 on Friday night. Even though Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal were out, the Suns looked atrocious from the start. Phoenix only scored 14 points in the first quarter. The Suns have now lost two straight after beginning the season 9-2.
Minnesota beat the Sacramento Kings 130-126 Friday night in what might be the game of the year. De’Aaron Fox scored 60 points in the loss but propelled his team from down 16 in the fourth quarter to force overtime. The Twolves got the job done, however, as Anthony Edwards scored 36 points and was clutch in overtime. Minnesota improved to 7-6 on the year as their rollercoaster of a season continues. They are just happy they don’t have to face the Portland Trail Blazers for a while.
Here are the Suns-Timberwolves NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Suns-Timberwolves Odds
Phoenix Suns: +7.5 (-112)
Moneyline: +260
Minnesota Timberwolves: -7.5 (-108)
Moneyline: -320
Over: 222.5 (-110)
Under: 222.5 (-110)
How To Watch Suns vs. Timberwolves
Time: 3:30 ET/12:30 PT
TV: FanDuel Sports Network North
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Suns Could Cover the Spread/Win
Beal and Grayson Allen are questionable while KD remains out. Injuries have hurt this team and as a result, are underdogs for this game.
Devin Booker did not play well against OKC. He will once again face a tough defense against Minnesota. I’m sure we won’t see him shoot 20% from the floor again, but Booker must excel against the Twolves if they want to cover this spread. He’s averaging 22.5 points per game but needs to score north of 28+ to give this team a shot at the end.
Beal’s calf injury may cause him to miss the game but if he is healthy, the Suns have a chance to win. Beal is averaging 17.8 points per game and has scored a combined 52 points in his last two games while shooting over 50%. The 31-year-old has plenty of time to get back to his proficient scoring. The Suns haven’t seen much of Wizards’ Beal yet. If Beal can continue to shoot the ball at a high rate then the Suns will be unguardable when fully healthy. We’ve seen a sneak peek of it, but injuries have not allowed us to see the full script.
The Timberwolves have been inconsistent this season despite not dealing with many injuries. The Suns need to take advantage of that by coming into Minnesota and avenging their horrendous playoff performance from a season ago.
Why the Timberwolves Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Wolves ended their three-game skid with a massive win in Sacramento. They return home from the road trip before heading right back on the road north of the border to Toronto. They face the reigning champs in Boston right after that. It’s not easy for the Wolves right now, which is why that win against the Kings was crucial early on in the season. Minnesota can’t afford to fall in the standings as the Western Conference has about eight contenders right now … maybe more.
Edwards is playing just shy of an MVP level but is averaging 28.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. If he can limit the turnovers then he will play even better. He is at 3.3 turnovers per game right now.
Julius Randle has been great for the Wolves since coming over from the New York Knicks in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade. He’s averaging 20.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists (second on the team) and the best part is he is healthy — starting and playing 34 minutes per game.
Final Suns-Timberwolves Prediction & Pick
Without Kevin Durant, I don’t see the Suns winning this game. However, they should cover this spread with Bradley Beal likely back.
Final Suns-Timberwolves Prediction & Pick: Suns +7.5 (-112)
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