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Timberwolves vs Thunder Pick – NBA Predictions & Odds 4/14/23

Oklahoma City Thunder (41-42) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (42-41)
April 14, 2023 9:30 pm EDT
The Line: Minnesota Timberwolves -5.5; Over/Under: +229.5
(Get latest betting odds)

The Oklahoma City Thunder invade the Target Center to battle the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Play-In game on Friday night.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be eager to stay hot in this one after staving off elimination with a 123-118 road win over the Pelicans in Wednesday’s play-in game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team with 32 points on 11 of 22 shooting, Josh Giddey tallied 31 points with nine rebounds and 10 assists while Luguentz Dort chipped in with 27 points on eight of 14 shooting. As a team, the Thunder shot 45 percent from the field and 11 of 37 from the 3-point line as they struggled to contain the Pelicans in the first half and trailed by nine points at halftime, before they took control with a 39-point third quarter to open up a crucial 10-point lead which was enough to hold off the Pelicans in a tight finish. 

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves will be hoping to bounce back after coming up just short to the Lakers in a heartbreaking 108-102 overtime loss in Tuesday’s play-in game. Karl-Anthony Towns led the team with 24 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, Mike Conley added 23 points on seven of 11 shooting while Taurean Prince chipped in with 14 points. As a team, the Timberwolves shot 43 percent from the field and 16 of 41 from the 3-point line as they jumped all over the Lakers in the first half to lead by as many as 15 points in the third quarter, before they went ice-cold and managed just 12 points in the fourth quarter to allow the Lakers to run them down and eventually slip away in overtime. 

Looking at the betting trends, the Thunder are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games and 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall. The Timberwolves are 2-7 ATS in their last nine home games and 1-4 ATS in their last five games against a team with a losing record. 

Head to head, the under is 4-1 in the last five meetings overall, the Thunder are 2-5 ATS in the last seven meetings overall and the Thunder are 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings in Minnesota. 

The Thunder are still missing Aleksej Pokusevski, while the Timberwolves should have Rudy Gobert back in the lineup, but theyare keeping eyes on Rudy Gobert, Jaylen Nowell and Karl-Anthony Towns who are all questionable. The momentum is with the Thunder after they were able to win on the road against the Pelicans on Wednesday, but the Timberwolves almost took down the Lakers and they have the advantage of extra rest as they haven’t played since Tuesday. The injury cloud hanging over the Timberwolves evens things up a bit, so I’ll back the Thunder who are 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings in Minnesota. 

Peter Tran's Free Pick: Oklahoma City +5.5

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Peter Tran

Peter Trans is an acclaimed Expert NBA Handicapper, renowned for his insightful analysis and predictions in the world of professional basketball. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the game, Peter has established himself as a trusted authority among basketball enthusiasts and bettors alike. His expertise is showcased on SportsChatPlace.com, where he provides in-depth game analyses, betting tips, and forecasts that are both highly informative and remarkably accurate.

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