NBA Minnesota Timberwolves vs Oklahoma City Thunder Preview and Prediction

Date/Time: 01-08-2019, 20:00 EDT

Spread: Oklahoma City Thunder -8

Total: +227

In this duel between two Western conference teams coming off opposite outcomes in their latest matchups, the Minnesota Timberwolves, in their first game after firing their head coach, are visiting the third in the West Oklahoma City Thunder, who want to return to the winning ways.

Wolves are 19-21 so far in the league and are sitting on the eleventh place of the Western Conference. They have won their last two games and in their latest matchup they were victorious against LA Lakers at home, 108-86. Thunder are 25-14 so far in the league and are sitting on the 3^rd place of the Western conference. In their latest matchup they saw a 3-game victory streak end with a home defeat by Washington, 98-116.

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Minnesota are led in scoring by Karl-Anthony Towns with 22.2 ppg. He also leads the team in rebounding with 12.4 per game, while Derrick Rose follows with 18.9 ppg, adding 4.8 dimes per game but he is out with an injury. Andrew Wiggins adds 17.3 ppg and 3.9 rebounds. Oklahoma are led in scoring by Paul George with 26.8 ppg. He also adds 8 rebounds and 4 assists per game, while Russell Westbrook follows with 21.1 ppg and leads the team both in rebounding with 11 and in assists with 10.1 per game. Dennis Schroder adds 15.4 ppg and 4.4 assists per game.

This will be the second meetings between those two teams so far this season with Minnesota having won the previous one on the road by 2 points. Oklahoma are 13-5 at home so far, while Minnesota are 5-15 on the road. Oklahoma have both a better offense with 111.6 ppg to Minnesota’s 111.4 ppg and a better defense, allowing 105.8 ppg to Minnesota’s 110.8. Those two teams have almost the same accuracy from the field (45.4% to 45.2%), while Minnesota have a better accuracy from behind the arc (35.6% to 32.1%). They are also better in assists per game (24.6 to 22.3) and commit fewer turnovers (12.8 to 14.3), while Oklahoma grab more rebounds per game (48.6 to 44.4). Minnesota have been very ineffective on the road this season and they don’t pose a threat on Oklahoma so pick the Thunder in this one.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Oklahoma City Thunder Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder -8 (-105)

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