Cleveland Cavaliers (21-17) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (24-13)
January 8, 2026 8:00 pm EDT
The Line: Minnesota Timberwolves -3.5; Over/Under: 239.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Cleveland Cavaliers pay a visit to the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center on Thursday night. Here’s a Timberwolves vs Cavaliers Prediction. This article will include a Timberwolves vs Cavaliers Pick.
Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been in great form as they’ve won six of their last nine games overall and they will be eager to stay hot after outlasting the Pacers in a 120-116 road win on Tuesday. Darius Garland led the team with 29 points and six assists on 14 of 23 shooting, Evan Mobley added 20 points with six rebounds and five assists while Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill each scored 19 points. As a team, the Cavaliers shot 56 percent from the field and 10 of 26 from the 3-point line as they struggled to get going. They scored just 22 points in the first quarter to trail by nine points heading into the fourth quarter where they exploded for 36 points to escape with the narrow win.
Minnesota Timberwolves Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves have been in fine form as they’ve won nine of their last 13 games overall and they will be gunning for a fourth straight victory after blowing past the Heat in a 122-94 win on Tuesday. Anthony Edwards led the team with 26 points on eight of 18 shooting, Jaden McDaniels added 19 points while Julius Randle chipped in with 15 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. As a team, the Timberwolves shot 46 percent from the field and 14 of 39 from the 3-point line as they poured in 34 points in the second quarter to take the lead into halftime. However, they didn’t get any separation until the second half where they outscored the Heat by 61-40 to make it look easy in the end.
Why the Minnesota Timberwolves will win
- The Timberwolves have won eight of their last nine home games against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The Cavaliers have lost four of their last five road games against teams that held a winning record.
- The Cavaliers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last seven night games following a road win.
- The favorites have covered the spread in each of the last four games between the Cavaliers and Timberwolves.
Why the Cleveland Cavaliers will win
- The Timberwolves have lost six of their last 10 games as favorites against Central Division opponents following a win.
- The Cavaliers have won six of their last seven games against Northwest Division opponents.
- The Timberwolves have failed to cover the spread in six of their last seven games against Central Division opponents that held a winning record.
- The Cavaliers have covered the spread in five of their last six road games against Northwest Division opponents.
Total Points Facts
- Eight of the Timberwolves’ last nine home games have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Each of the Cavaliers’ last four night games have gone UNDER the total points line.
Minnesota Timberwolves Player Facts
- Rudy Gobert ranks 1st amongst qualified players for FG% (72.0%) this season.
- Donte DiVincenzo has recorded eight games with 4+ assists and zero turnovers this season – equal-most of any player in the league.
Cleveland Cavaliers Player Facts
- Donovan Mitchell ranks 2nd amongst qualified players for three-pointers made per game (3.9) this season.
- Sam Merrill ranks 2nd amongst qualified players for three-pointers made per 36 minutes (4.9) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Timberwolves rank 1st in the league for H2 win percentage this season (75.7%).
- The Timberwolves have used only four different starting fives this season – fewest in the league.
- The Cavaliers rank 30th in the league for opponent three-point percentage this season (37.8%).
- The Cavaliers rank 1st in the league for Q4 points per game this season (30.2).
Timberwolves vs Cavaliers Prediction
The Cavaliers are still missing Dean Wade and Max Strus with Larry Nance Jr listed as questionable, while the Timberwolves are coming in with a full squad once again. The Cavaliers are coming into this meeting with some winning momentum, but they were far from convincing in their narrow win over the ice-cold Pacers in their last outing. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves have been in great form, they have all their key players healthy, and they just smashed the Heat by 28 points in their last game. This should be a close one, but with the line so short, I can’t resist a play on the Timberwolves at home in this spot.
