The San Antonio Spurs currently find themselves in a position they haven’t been in this century -- on the outside looking in of the Western Conference playoff picture. San Antonio is trying to extend a 20-year streak of qualifying for the postseason but that is currently in peril. The Spurs could pick up a huge win next time out in a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
These two teams are among several packed tightly together in the quest for the postseason. Minnesota is currently among the top eight seeds but just a couple of losses could push them outside. The T-Wolves have a slightly better record than the Spurs on the season but must hit the road, which could make them the underdogs in NBA basketball betting spreads.
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Odds Analysis
The Timberwolves are 40-29 straight up and 32-35-2 against the spread. Minnesota has gone 15-19-1 against the spread on the road this season. The T-Wolves have covered in 12 of 26 attempts as the underdog this year.
The Spurs are 38-30 straight up and 32-32-4 against the spread. San Antonio has gone 17-13-2 against the spread at home this season. The Spurs are 22-21-3 against the spread as the favorite.
Injury Report
The Spurs are still awaiting the return of star small forward Kawhi Leonard. He has missed nearly the entire season with a quadriceps injury but is reportedly on the comeback trail. However, details have been murky and it seems unlikely he will participate in this matchup.
Leonard was on the short list of MVP candidates a year ago and his presence helped keep the Spurs among the best teams in the NBA. However, quad and shoulder injuries have kept him shelved for months, and there are also whispers about possible discord between Leonard and the organization.
If Leonard gets back on the floor it will be a huge boost for San Antonio, but that is still a proposition that does not have clear timeline. Keep a close eye on the situation heading into this matchup because Leonard’s presence, however unlikely, would be a big deal.
Key Stat
Three. That’s how many games separate seven different teams in the race for the final five playoff spots in the Western Conference. The Spurs are currently in the No. 9 spot in the West but only because they are currently losing tiebreakers to the Clippers and Jazz, who have identical records. A win in this game and a strong finish would help the Spurs vault back up the standings, but on the flip-side, some losses would make it difficult to catch the other teams.
Minnesota is 1.5 games ahead of the Spurs in the No. 6 seed currently. They are close enough to catching the Pelicans and Thunder with a strong finish but a lull could also put the playoffs in jeopardy for them.
Free NBA ATS Picks
These two teams are pretty evenly matched. In that case, it always makes sense to choose the home team. The Spurs know what is on the line. They badly want to qualify for the playoffs once again and the top seeds would much prefer not to see them in the first round.
The Spurs can be much better if Leonard can get back into the lineup. Until then they are going to need to scratch and claw to pick up some victories. This will be one that they grab in a close content. Consider taking the Timberwolves in NBA basketball betting lines because the spread may be a little bit too high.
NBA Odds: Spurs 105, Timberwolves 103
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