Free NBA Pick: Blazers vs Timberwolves NBA Odds
Looking for Portland Trail Blazers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves free NBA picks & NBA odds? NBA betting sees the Blazers taking on the Timberwolves on Monday December 18, 2017 at the Target Center Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all NBA basketball matchups so stay tuned for more FREE daily NBA hoops predictions like this Blazers Timberwolves matchup.
(16-13) Portland Trail Blazers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (17-13)
Date: Monday December 18
Time: 8:00PM EST
Venue: Target Center, Minnesota, Minneapolis
NBA Moneyline Odds: off
NBA Betting Odds: Wolves -4
NBA Betting Total: 206.5
Live NBA Odds
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Monday, December 18 finds Northwest Division rivals the Portland Trail Blazers taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves. Both squads currently rank in the Western playoff seeds.
Last season, the squads played four times with the Blazers won three of the four contests and have won seven of the past nine meetings. Portland also holds the all-time record having bested the Wolves 79 of their 110 matches.
Portland Trail Blazers
A good rule of thumb to determine elite teams are those who win on the road. Only seven teams have above .500 road records (Warriors, Rockets, Blazers, Celtics, Cavaliers, Raptors, Heat).
The odd part of this equation however, is two of these teams have losing home records, the Heat and Blazers.
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Portland continues their role reversal season in earnest. To wit, the 2016-17 Blazers boasted the 11th ranked offense and 21st ranked defense. This season the Blazers rank 21st offensively and 4th defensively.
Therefore the key for Portland moving forward will be to find a balance on both sides of the court and protect their home court.
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C.J. Wilcox is scheduled to return last this month after right knee surgery.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Tom Thibodeau continues to push his starting lineup with Taj Gibson registering a low of 34.2 minutes per game and Jimmy Butler the high of 37.3 minutes.
Considering the trio of Butler, Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns all log significant minutes it’s no wonder they are exhausted when the fourth quarter arrives.
The Wolves rank 25th defensively and although they have played better in the last 10 games (20th) on that end the fourth quarter is a major issue. Minnesota are 30th in the final frame with a 114.9 rating.
To put in perspective how poor this mark is, the Raptors boast the best fourth quarter defense with a 96.4 rating (that’s a 18.5 point difference).
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Jimmy Butler is questionable after suffering what Minnesota is calling a minor back injury in the loss to the Suns. Nemanja Bjelica remains out with a foot issue, but is scheduled for a late December return.
NBA Betting Trends:
- Under is 7-2 in Blazers last 9 vs. the west.
- Wolves are 1-8-1 ATS in their last 10 home games.
- Blazers are 7-3 in last 10 head to head
- Over Under is 4-5-1 in team’s last 10 head to head matchups
- Underdog is 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings head to head.
- Wolves are 4-10-1 ATS in their last 15 games overall.
Free Portland Trail Blazers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Prediction: (Updated with spread) Take Blazers +4
UPDATED: lines published as 4 points for Wolves after the initial 5.5. Having already based my prediction on no spread my deciding factor was which team’s strength ruled — the Wolves offense or the Blazers defense?
Minnesota’s winning home record or the Blazers adept road prowess? I’m assuming Butler plays and the Wolves look to rebound from the loss to Phoenix.
4* Free NBA Betting Pick: PDX +5.5
NBA Free Score Prediction: Timberwolves 105 – Blazers 102
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