Nuggets vs. Timberwolves prediction, tips and odds for today's NBA game

Nuggets vs Timberwolves Prediction

My best choice
Timberwolves -4 (-110 at bet365)

My analysis
Much of the criticism of this introduction could also be directed at the Minnesota Timberwolves.

They were just 1-3 against the competition – only covering in Sacramento – but Minnesota underperformed by 4.1 points per game this season, compared to an average of 9.1 points for the Denver Nuggets .

That's not exactly shocking for the Nuggets. While they are still excited about having the best player in the world, the rest of their squad continues to be downgraded.

The loss of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to free agency may not have garnered many headlines, but he was an ideal defensive and shooting wing to get around Nikola Jokic.

Denver couldn't replace this given the current roster construction restrictions. Insult against Russell Westbrook. Meanwhile, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. are constant injury concerns, with Murray in particular looking unfit to start this season.

The Timberwolves front office may have recognized this spiral before almost anyone else, changing a roster once built specifically to beat the Nuggets just before preseason practice to be better suited to beating the Thunder and/or or the Celtics to be set up . Minnesota is no longer afraid of Denver.

Should it? Not yet. Certainly not yet.

The Nuggets are on a two-game winning streak, but those wins came against teams that were already trying to lose. And yet Denver failed to cover the spread. The Wolves need a win after losing a winnable game to development rival Dallas on Tuesday, and that frustration will come at the Nuggets' expense tonight.

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, same game

Timberwolves -4

Nikola Jokic Over 26.5 points

Nikola Jokic Over 11.5 rebounds

In reshaping their roster, the Timberwolves traded away their best defensive option to slow Nikola Jokic. Anyone who actually followed the playoffs over the last two years noticed that only one player slowed Jokic down: Karl-Anthony Towns.

Rudy Gobert deserves his four Defensive Player of the Year awards, but Joker is a terrible opponent for the Frenchman. In short, Jokic is too physical and too comfortable in close combat for Gobert's body to fold in and out during challenging punches.

Expect the Nuggets center to have a productive evening at the expense of Gobert, something Minnesota has clearly decided is no longer a concern after the season.

Realizing that Timberwolves president Tim Connelly assembled Denver's roster, his realization that he came to that conclusion in the offseason may be the loudest signal of the necessary existential angst on the Nuggets' bench.

Learn how to place a bet in the same game with these helpful tips and strategies.

Nuggets vs Timberwolves odds

Nuggets vs Timberwolves live odds

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves opening odds

• Spread: Denver +3.5 | Minnesota -3.5
• Money line: Denver +140 | Minnesota -165
• Over/Under: Over 218.5 | Below 218.5

Odds courtesy of bet365

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves spread and over/under analysis

• Late Thursday, that spread started with Denver, a 3.5-point underdog, and rose as high as +4.5 overnight before settling at +4 on most books Friday morning.
• That total started at 218.5 before rising to 220.5 on Thursday.
• On Friday morning, the total dropped again to 218.5 before rising to 219.5 for some books.

Nuggets vs Timberwolves trend

The Denver Nuggets are 0-4 ATS to start the year. Find more NBA betting trends for Nuggets vs. Timberwolves.

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Nuggets vs. Timberwolves recent injuries

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