Timberwolves will aim to capitalize on Raptors' struggles in key early season clash.
The Toronto Raptors face the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center on Saturday night.
Toronto heads into the matchup with a confidence boost from a 115-107 win over the 76ers, led by Scottie Barnes’ efficient 27-point performance, supported by Jakob Poeltl’s 19 points and four blocks.
Minnesota, meanwhile, edged out a 117-115 road win against the Kings, fueled by Julius Randle’s 33 points and Anthony Edwards’ 32-point, seven-rebound night. With Naz Reid adding 19 points and 13 rebounds off the bench, the Timberwolves closed strong, pulling away with an 11-1 run late in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
Ahead of the highly anticipated matchup, let’s take a look at the betting odds, prediction and picks.
Moneyline (ML): Timberwolves -800 | Raptors +553
Spread (SP): Timberwolves -13.5
Over/Under (O/U): 220.5
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The Raptors face a challenging matchup, heading into the second leg of a back-to-back on the road, and they are further hampered by key injuries.
Adding to the difficulty, they will go up against a tough Minnesota defense, which poses a significant test, especially for a team that ranked among the league’s lowest in three-point shooting percentage last season (34.7%).
Given these factors, the Timberwolves are predicted to win and cover the -13.5-point spread.
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