Denver Nuggets vs Minnesota Timberwolves Best Bet: Favoured Nuggets To Win At A Canter
Denver Nuggets vs Minnesota Timberwolves Best Bet: Wednesday, January 18th
Despite being on the second night of a back-to-back after defeating the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, the Denver Nuggets are heavily favoured over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Denver has lost only two games since December 16th. Minnesota has covered the spread in just 38.1% of their road games this term.
Coming off a loss to the Utah Jazz, the Timberwolves are significantly depleted. Jordan McLaughlin and Karl-Anthony Towns are out. Taurean Prince is questionable, as are Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert, with the latter playing less than five minutes against Utah just a couple of days ago.
Denver might see Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr rest with games falling on consecutive days, and they will hope Bones Hyland is fit to return after missing Tuesday’s game. Collin Gillespie, Jeff Green and Peyton Watson are all unavailable.
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Denver Nuggets vs Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
Thu, Jan 19. 03:00 (UK time)
Denver have shown they can win without Murray and Porter, just as they did last season. Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic put in another epic showing against Portland, recording a 36-point triple-double in the win. Aaron Gordon is playing at a near-All-Star level, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is providing exactly what Denver needs at both ends of the floor.
Only the Grizzlies can better the Nuggets’ net rating over the last 10 games. Their defence is up to third over that span. Minnesota won when these teams met earlier this month, led by Edwards with 29 points, but a repeat performance is very unlikely here. With no Edwards, the Timberwolves are looking at a blowout. Even if the first overall pick suits up, they have their work cut out against a Denver team which has a 12-8-1 record against the spread as a home favourite.
While the Timberwolves enjoyed a resurgence of sorts to start the year, this is still a team mired in dysfunction. Chris Finch has struggled with his rotations and schemes. The trade for Gobert is already looking absolutely calamitous.
Denver, in stark contrast, is a well-oiled machine. Jokic is an ironman, a reliable regular season performer who regularly puts his team on his back in potential schedule losses like this one.
Denver Nuggets vs Minnesota Timberwolves Best Bet
The Nuggets are 9-4 against the spread with a rest disadvantage as they have here. Their roster is more talented even with Murray and Porter expected to have the night off.
Denver is gunning of the top seed in the West, and has made games like this look routine over the last couple of months. With their defence trending in the right direction, plus an offence which blows teams away, they should be able to cruise to a 32nd win of the season in the early hours of Thursday morning.
- Selection: Denver Nuggets -8.5
- Best Odds: 1.95 (Coral)
- Stakes: 4/10
Odds as of 12:00 pm January 18, 2023. Odds may now differ.
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