The Target Center hosts a matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves (20-22) and the Phoenix Suns (21-22) on Friday. The Minnesota Timberwolves enter the contest holding the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference, one game behind the seventh-seeded Phoenix Suns. Both teams are coming off losses, and with the playoff race heating up, we could be in for a nail-biting affair between two postseason contenders.
Minnesota Timberwolves VS Phoenix Suns Betting expert picks
Minnesota Timberwolves VS Phoenix Suns Moneyline
The Phoenix Suns have been in a sorry state lately, losing seven of their last eight games. We can’t see things getting any better here, which is why we’re going with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The hosts are 4-1 SU in their last five games and must win to stay in the playoff spots.
Minnesota Timberwolves VS Phoenix Suns Spread
In the last ten matchups between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns, the average points margin between these two sides was 9.6 points.
Having covered the spread in their last three home matches, the Minnesota Timberwolves look like a sound choice to pull it off again at the Target Center. The hosts are also 7-3 ATS in the past ten games at home and 5-5 ATS overall from their previous ten games.
The past five visits to the Target Center have gone rather well for the Phoenix Suns, having won all five games by an average margin of 9.0 points. The visitors are 5-5 ATS from their ten most recent road trips, as well as 4-6 ATS in their last ten games overall.
Minnesota Timberwolves VS Phoenix Suns Total
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns tend to produce some big numbers in their matchups. The two sides have averaged a very impressive 226.8 points in their last ten meetings.
The total has averaged 229.7 points in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ ten most recent games, as well as 224.0 points in their last five at home. Meanwhile, on the other side of the market, the total only went over in two of the last five home games for the Minnesota Timberwolves. They are 7-3 against the total across their last ten games, whether home or away.
As for the Phoenix Suns, the average total has been 216.6 points in the away team’s past ten matches and 208.2 points in the last five on the road. The total has gone under in six of the away side’s last seven games.
Minnesota Timberwolves Form
Despite losing 135-118 to the Detroit Pistons in their last match, the Minnesota Timberwolves are in decent form. They’re on a run of four wins in five games at the moment.
The Minnesota Timberwolves rank 16th in the NBA offensive rating. The Wolves have put up 114.8 points per game and boast a home average of 117 points. Defensively, they have allowed 115.5 points on average for the season and rank 14th in the league’s defensive rating.
In 2021-22, the Minnesota Timberwolves clinched a playoff berth after a 46-36 season. The hosts finished third in the Northwest Division and seventh in the Eastern Conference, entering the playoffs after winning the Play-In Tournament. However, after suffering a first-round exit, they hope to have a deep postseason run this season.
The Minnesota Timberwolves four players struggling with injuries for the upcoming match in Kyle Anderson, Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Jordan McLaughlin.
Phoenix Suns Form
The Phoenix Suns are in bad shape with a run of seven losses in eight games lately. Their most recent game handed them a 126-97 loss against the Denver Nuggets.
The Phoenix Suns rank 11th in the NBA offensive rating. The visitors have scored 112.7 points per game in the regular season, which is below last season’s average tally of 113.8 points. They sit 12th in the league’s defensive rating, losing 111.4 points per game and 113.5 points on the road.
Last season, the Phoenix Suns sealed a playoff berth after clinching the first seed in the Western Conference. The visitors had a 64-18 season, but lost in the Conference semi-finals. They’re expected to reach the playoffs again, and judging by their progress so far; they’re on target.
Six Phoenix Suns players are battling injury problems ahead of the trip to the Target Center in Chris Paul, Cameron Payne, Devin Booker, Cameron Johnson, Landry Shamet, and DeAndre Ayton.
Minnesota Timberwolves VS Phoenix Suns H2H history
The Phoenix Suns downed the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-129 in the previous matchup between these two franchises. The encounter took place at the Target Center in November 2022. This might well be one road trip the Phoenix Suns are looking forward to, as the past ten rounds of this series make good reading for the away team. Victory has gone their way nine times, while the Minnesota Timberwolves came out on top one time.
In their last ten head-to-head games, the Minnesota Timberwolves managed 109 points on average per game, while the Phoenix Suns put 117.8 points on board.