The Minnesota Timberwolves are looking to avoid a third straight loss on Monday when they take on the Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta.
Minnesota is holding on to the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference, but it could fall quickly if this losing streak keeps up since so many teams in the West are separated by just a game or two.
Atlanta, who lost to the Boston Celtics on Saturday, is still the No. 8 seed in the East.
Both of these teams love to push pace, and they may need to on Monday night with a few key players questionable. Rudy Gobert and Austin Rivers are questionable for Minnesota while Jaylen Nowell and Karl-Anthony Towns are both out.
For Atlanta, Bogdan Bogdanovic is questionable with a back injury.
Let’s dive into the odds and a pick for this matchup:
Timberwolves vs. Hawks odds, spread and total
Timberwolves vs. Hawks prediction and pick
Both of these teams have struggled against the spread in this spot this season, so instead I’m going to look to the total for my best bet.
This season, Minnesota ranks No. 5 in the league in pace while the Hawks come in at No. 10. Atlanta combined for 259 points against Boston on Saturday, and the team’s metrics line up perfectly for an OVER bet.
Atlanta is the No. 10 offense in the NBA, but the team is just 22nd in defense, which means the fast-paced Wolves should be able to get whatever they want on Monday night.
The Hawks are also No. 3 in the NBA in hitting the OVER this season, going 39-29 (57.4 percent).
If the Wolves try to keep up with Atlanta’s offense by getting in a track meet, this total should sail over 244.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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Author: Peter Dewey
