Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
The Portland Trail Blazers are in complete tank mode, sitting players such as Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons and Damian Lillard with the team out of the playoff race in the West.
That’s a good sign for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who currently have the No. 9 seed in the West after losing to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.
The Wolves need every win they can get to close the season, and it starts as massive favorites against Portland.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards are both expected to play in this game, so how should bettors wager on the Wolves-Blazers showdown?
Blazers vs. Timberwolves odds, spread and total
Blazers vs. Timberwolves prediction and pick
There is simply no way one can trust the Blazers right now.
The team has lost five in a row since ruling out Lillard for the season, and four of those five losses have come by at least 24 points.
The Blazers only lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder by six, but they were dominated by the Sacramento Kings by 40 and 24 points in their last two games.
Minnesota has a high-powered offensive attack when Towns and Edwards are both healthy, and Minnesota should have a sense of urgency in this game with a play-in spot far from a guarantee.
The Blazers should be catching 20-plus points in this matchup, so I’ll gladly fade them as 17-point underdogs.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.