There are right teams within four games of each other in the Western Conference playoff race, and the Minnesota Timberwolves are right in the middle of the pack. Needless to say every victory moving forward is huge and Minnesota has a tough game coming up next time out against the Boston Celtics.
Boston has the superior record but the T-Wolves are at home, which should make this a very competitive showdown. The Celtics are hoping to catch the Raptors for the top seed in the East this postseason. Minnesota should be the slight favorite when the odds are released for this matchup.
Don't miss the hardwood action from the Target Center at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 8, 2018. Catch every moment of the game live on TNT.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Thursday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Celtics are 45-20 straight up on the season and have gone 39-24-2 against the spread. Boston has been really good in road games, covering in 22 of 31 attempts. The Celtics have only been the underdog 14 times this season and has been fantastic there, too, covering in 12 of those matchups in NBA point spreads.
The Timberwolves are 38-28 straight up and 30-34-2 against the spread. Minnesota is 16-15-1 against the spread as the home team this season. The T-Wolves are 20-21-2 against the spread as the favorite.
Injury Report
Kyrie Irving – The Celtics’ point guard missed Monday’s matchup due to a sore left knee. Coach Brad Stevens has not given a specific timeline for the injury, and while it’s not a serious injury he did tell reporters that it could sideline the star through the rest of the week.
Boston got the win over the Bulls on Monday, with Irving out, and could be facing the same scenario against Minnesota on Thursday. Jaylen Brown had 21 points for the Celtics in that win and he and fellow starters Al Horford and Jayson Tatum will be expected to step up in Irving’s absence.
Shane Larkin filled in as point guard for Irving since Stevens said he wanted to keep the second unit intact and it worked out well against Chicago. Larkin had nine points and four assists in the win. Irving is the best player on the Celtics, and if he can’t play it is certainly a critical blow and will have an effect on the NBA betting lines.
Previous Meeting
It was a rather low-scoring affair the first time these two teams met this season on January 5th. The Celtics defeated the Timberwolves 91-84 in that matchup, holding Minnesota more than 20 points below its average points per game this year.
Boston got the win despite a huge night from Minnesota’s Karl Anthony-Towns. He finished with 25 points and 23 rebounds in the loss for the Timberwolves.
Marcus Smart finished with a team-high 18 points for Boston off the bench. Smart scored 16 of those points in the second half, where the game was won.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Celtics are likely going to finish as the No. 2 seed in the East, with a slight chance at catching Toronto for the best seed in the East. There is much more volatility in the West as it is impossible to know where the Timberwolves will end up.
All Minnesota can do is pile up wins down the stretch, and this would be a big one. Between the home court advantage and the possible absence of Irving, the Timberwolves should have enough superior firepower to come away with this win. Take Boston to cover the spread if the oddsmakers give the Timberwolves too much credit with no Irving on the floor. The Celtics have enough depth to keep this one close.
NBA Odds: Timberwolves 108, Celtics 104
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
