The Utah Jazz pay a visit to the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center on Wednesday night. Here’s a Timberwolves vs. Jazz prediction. This article will include a Timberwolves vs. Jazz pick.
Utah Jazz Betting Preview
The Utah Jazz have been in a terrible slump, as they’ve lost 11 of their last 13 games overall and they will be hoping to avoid a fourth straight defeat after falling just short to the lowly Kings in a 116-111 road defeat on Sunday. Cody Williams led the team with 34 points, seven rebounds and seven assists on 12 of 20 shooting; Brice Sensabaugh added 22 points on nine of 17 shooting, while Isaiah Collier chipped in with 21 points. As a team, the Jazz shot 48 percent from the field and 12 of 36 from the 3-point line as they battled the Kings in a close game that could’ve gone either way, until they went cold in the fourth quarter to allow the Kings to pull ahead by 12 points.
Minnesota Timberwolves Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves have been in a rut lately, as they’ve dropped four of their last six games overall but they will be eager to build some momentum after running past the Suns in a 116-104 win last night. Julius Randle led the team with 32 points on 10 of 17 shooting, Bones Hyland added 22 points with five assists off the bench, and Ayo Dosunmu chipped in with 19 points on nine of 17 shooting. As a team, the Timberwolves shot 51 percent from the field and nine of 28 from the 3-point line as they weathered an early barrage from the Suns, who scored 39 points in the first quarter, but they made their adjustments and restricted the Suns to just 41 points in the entire second half to secure the solid win in front of their home fans.
Why the Minnesota Timberwolves will win
- The Jazz have lost each of their last 13 road games against Northwest Division opponents that held a winning record.
- The Timberwolves have won each of their last 11 home games against Northwest Division opponents that held a losing record.
- The favorites have covered the spread in each of the Timberwolves’ last four games.
- The Jazz have failed to cover the spread in nine of their last 12 games as underdogs against Western Conference opponents.
Why the Utah Jazz will win
- The Jazz have won eight of their last nine games at Target Center when playing with a rest advantage.
- The Timberwolves have lost four of their last five home games on the second leg of a back-to-back against the Jazz.
- The Jazz have covered the spread in nine of their last 10 road games against teams that held a winning record.
- The Timberwolves have failed to cover the spread in five of their last six home games against Western Conference opponents that held a losing record.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Jazz’s last six games against Northwest Division opponents has gone OVER the total points line.
- Each of the Timberwolves’ last five night games against Northwest Division opponents has gone OVER the total points line.
Minnesota Timberwolves Player Facts
- Rudy Gobert ranks 1st amongst qualified players for FG% (70.4%) this season.
- Naz Reid ranks 2nd amongst qualified centers for three-pointers made per game (2.2) this season.
Utah Jazz Player Facts
- Brice Sensabaugh is the only player to have scored 40+ points off the bench in a game this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Timberwolves have used only eight different starting fives this season—the fewest in the league.
- The Timberwolves rank 2nd in the league for opponent blocks per game this season (3.8).
- The Jazz rank 30th in the league for opponent points per game this season (124.9).
- The Jazz rank 30th in the league for opponent assists per game this season (30.4).
Timberwolves vs Jazz Prediction
The Jazz are still missing Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen, Jusuf Nurkic and Keyonte George, with Ace Bailey listed as questionable, while the Timberwolves have ruled out Anthony Edwards due to right knee inflammation. These teams have already clashed three times this season, with the Timberwolves leading the series by 2-1, but it was the Jazz who took the last meeting by 127-122 back on Jan 21. The Timberwolves are expectedly opening as heavy favorites at home despite missing their leading scorer, but they are also playing their second night of a back-to-back set, which isn’t ideal. I still have the Timberwolves winning, but something tells me it will be an ugly win by a single-digit margin.