NBA Odds: Timberwolves (even)
The Los Angeles Clippers head to the Target Center to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. The game gets underway at 8:00 pm ET on Monday, Mar. 2 and will air on FSN-PT and FSN-N.
The Timberwolves lost to the Grizzlies 101-97 on Saturday. Andrew Wiggins finished with 25 points to lead the team. The Clippers, meanwhile, are coming off a 97-79 win over that same Grizzlies squad on Friday. DeAndre Jordan played well and claimed his 31st double-double of the season, accumulating 15 points and 22 rebounds.
Over the last five games, Jordan and Jamal Crawford have been on a tear for the Clippers. During that stretch, Jordan has averaged 16.6 points, 18.2 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.4 steals, and 2.0 blocks. Not to be outdone, Crawford has put up 21.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.6 blocks, and 2.8 three-pointers.
The aggressive Timberwolves offense seems focused on getting to the foul line. They rank fifth in the NBA at getting to the stripe (free throw attempt rate of 30.3), while Los Angeles is among the league’s most foul-prone squads (giving up a 28th-ranked free throw attempt rate of 31.2). Moreover, the first-ranked offense of the Clippers (offensive efficiency of 109.8) will try to exploit the 30th-ranked defense of the Timberwolves (defensive efficiency of 107.7).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Clippers won the first game 127-101. Blake Griffin was the game’s leading scorer with 23 points.
The odds are even for this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Timberwolves enter the game with records of 13-45 Straight Up (SU) and 25-31-2 Against The Spread (ATS). They have a record of 5-29 SU and 16-16-2 ATS versus the Western Conference. The Timberwolves are an exceptional shooting team from the line with 19.4 free throws made per game, one of the highest marks in the NBA.
On the other side, Los Angeles has a SU record of 38-21 and an ATS record of 25-34. In Western Conference games, Los Angeles has gone 25-10 SU and 16-19 ATS. They sport the second-ranked scoring offense in the league, averaging 106.8 points per game. Los Angeles is one of the top three-point shooting teams in the league, converting .370 of their shots from three-point range. The Clippers are a top-five team in the league at finding the open man with an average of 24.4 assists per game.
Following the Clippers’ latest win over Minnesota, their SU record against the Timberwolves moves to 10-0 over the last 10 meetings. Additionally, the Clippers lead the matchup ATS with a record of 7-3. Los Angeles topped the Timberwolves in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) three times over the last 10. Minnesota has never had the edge in all categories.
Predictions: SU Winner – LAC, ATS Winner – LAC
Notes
The Los Angeles Clippers average 106.8 points per game (ranked second), while the Minnesota Timberwolves give up a whopping 105.5 points (ranked 29th).
Los Angeles is one of the top scoring teams on the road, averaging 105.9 points per game (ranked third). Minnesota, on the other hand, allows 102.1 points per home game (ranked 26th).
The Timberwolves have an even 7-7 record in games where they allow fewer than 100 points. The Clippers don’t do well when they score under 100 points, earning a 4-10 record on the season.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have an abysmal 6-38 record in games where they have allowed at least 100 points. The Los Angeles Clippers are 34-11 when they hit triple digits.
The Timberwolves have an offensive rating of 99.7 (ranked 25th). The Clippers rank 16th for their defensive rating of 103.4.
The Minnesota Timberwolves average 98.0 possessions per game and .997 points per possession, while the Los Angeles Clippers earn fewer possessions (97.2) but more points per possession (1.098).
The Los Angeles Clippers have one of the best effective field goal percentages this season, ranking second in the league with an EFF% of 53.1%. When their opponents record a similar or higher EFF%, the Minnesota Timberwolves have an abysmal 5-29 record.
The Los Angeles Clippers, ranked fourth in the NBA, average 24.4 assists per game. The Minnesota Timberwolves make 21.8 assists (ranked 12th).
Minnesota makes an average of 3.9 blocks per game (ranked 28th). Los Angeles ranks higher in blocks with 4.9 (ranked 11th).
The Minnesota Timberwolves are among the best offensive rebounding teams in the league (ranked second). The Los Angeles Clippers are in the top half of NBA teams in defensive rebounding (ranked 11th).
The Timberwolves record 8.5 steals per game on average (ranked eighth). The Clippers are 10-8 when allowing at least 8 steals.
