In the middle of a five-game homestand, the Minnesota Timberwolves are looking to gain some separation at the top of the Northwest Division when they entertain the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. Given the recent history of poor play from both teams, a national television audience has been out of the question. But the teams have collected some quality young stars over the years and both are making noise in their respective conference while garnering attention at the national level. It’s enough to have this game on the worldwide leader.
Don’t miss the hardwood action from the Target Center at 9:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, December 12, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN. We’ll have NBA opening odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Tuesday schedule.
Odds Analysis
After getting off to a hot start the Sixers have stumbled a bit recently, losing four straight games while going 0-3-1 ATS. The slide goes back a little further with the team just 2-6 SU and 1-6-1 ATS over its last eight. The Wolves had been alternating wins and losses over a 10-game stretch until they beat Dallas on Sunday for their first two-game win streak in nearly a month. That’s not how playoff contending teams are supposed to play. The good news is that they’ve also avoided a losing streak and look to take advantage of this homestand, but they are 0-6-1 ATS in their last seven home contests.
Injury Report
It took two seasons after he was drafted before Joel Embiid made his NBA debut and the Sixers are extremely cautious with the health of their big man. Embiid has played with a minutes restriction and sits one game when the team has a back-to-back. But all the precautions in the world can’t help him overcome a back injury that prevented him from playing Sunday in New Orleans. Embiid also missed Saturday’s game as part of his routine of rest.
It’s hard to take Embiid out of the lineup considering he’s averaging 23.5 points and 11.1 rebounds, but even if the back injury subsides enough to allow him to play, you know Brett Brown isn’t going to risk any further damage. The Sixers also sat Robert Covington on Sunday after he hurt himself diving into the seats in Saturday’s loss to the Cavs. T.J. McConnell has missed a few games with a shoulder ailment and No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz continues to rehab from a shoulder issue that has prevented him from playing since early in the season.
Player to Watch
Jimmy Butler was acquired to bring a veteran presence to the youthful Wolves roster. He can also score and is an underrated defender. He’ll have his hands full on Tuesday with the primary assignment of defending Ben Simmons. But guarding the opponent’s best scorer is always a chore that inspires Butler and he’s proven to be good at it. Of course, playing defense hasn’t always been a staple of Minnesota’s game, but Butler has shown through his work ethic and belief in Tom Thibodeau, that defending is pretty cool.
And his mates have done a better job lately, holding the last three opponents to a combined average of 98 points per game, or more than eight points per game fewer than the Wolves’ season average. While Butler has been a valuable defender, he’s also been busy on the offensive end scoring 19 points per game, good for second on the team.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Sixers are all too familiar with injuries hitting their top draft picks and Embiid’s status is unclear. Even without their big man, the Sixers are one of the most entertaining teams in the league with Simmons tearing it up. Last year’s No. 1 overall pick is doing some amazing things by scoring 18 points per game with 9.2 rebounds and 7.7 assists. He poses a problem much like Magic Johnson did back in the day. His height gives him an advantage over most backcourt players and his shot has been far better than what most expected. But Simmons isn’t ready to carry the team on his own and he needs help from Embiid and Covington in the block.
The Wolves have one of the better interior defenders in Karl-Anthony Towns and can light up the scoreboard with Andrew Wiggins and Butler. This figures to be an exciting game between two of the best young teams in the NBA and the Wolves get the nod for homecourt advantage. The status of Embiid and Covington will play a role, but the Wolves get the victory anyway.
NBA Odds: Timberwolves 115, 76ers 108
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