The Minnesota Timberwolves are among a glut of teams jockeying for the playoffs in the Western Conference, but they have fallen near the bottom of that group. Minnesota needs to get on a hot streak soon or risk falling out of the postseason race. They have a tough task on Wednesday as the T-Wolves hit the road to face off against the Boston Celtics.
Boston has yet to hit on all cylinders this season but is hanging around the top teams in the East and could go on a run at any time. The Celtics are the better team and are playing at home in this game so there is no question they will be the favorites.
The Timberwolves could be short-handed at point guard, which is something to consider in NBA odds.
This NBA basketball game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics will be held at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 2nd, 2019. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.
We'll have NBA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2018-19 NBA season.
NBA Betting at BookMaker.eu
Odds Analysis
The Timberwolves were a game over .500 a couple of weeks back but have stumbled of late and now find themselves with a record of 17-19. They have struggled mightily in road games with only five victories in 19 affairs away from home. Minnesota is a few games out of the No. 8 seed but would have to leapfrog several foes to get there.
The Celtics have a mark of 21-14 on the year. They have not been as dominant as expected but are still within striking distance of the Raptors, Bucks, Pacers and 76ers. Boston has visions of making a long playoff run so getting home court advantage would be a boost. The Celtics have gone 11-5 at home this season.
Injury Report
T-Wolves guard Derrick Rose is in the midst of a resurgent season but he recently sprained his ankle, which could leave his availability for this one in doubt. Rose is averaging 18.9 points and 4.8 assists on the season. Fellow point guard Jeff Teague is also injured, currently dealing with an ankle injury. Teague is averaging 11.6 points and 8.3 assists per game and if neither player can go it will put a dent into Minnesota’s collection of playmakers in this one.
The Celtics are mostly healthy now that power forward Al Horford has returned to the court. He is a key piece as Horford can score, rebound and pass from down low.
Player To Watch
Karl Anthony-Towns -- The Celtics have the clear talent advantage in this one, and star point guard Kyrie Irving could have a big game. In order for the Timberwolves to stay close, they are going to need a solid performance out of their star center.
Anthony-Towns is one of the most gifted big men in the NBA and is averaging 21.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game this year. His scoring will likely need to increase in this one if Rose and Teague are both sidelined.
The Celtics play solid defense and will undoubtedly be aiming to slow down Anthony-Towns to force other players on the T-Wolves to beat them.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The T-Wolves held up OK without Jimmy Butler for awhile, but now are struggling. It won’t get much better in this one as the Celtics should be able to roll to the win. Minnesota could struggle defensively against a team with so many options.
Look for Boston to jump on Minnesota from the start and pick up an easy home win. Keep an eye on the spread because the Celtics could be the choice to cover in NBA gambling.
NBA ATS Pick: Boston Celtics 117, Minnesota Timberwolves 105
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!
