Minnesota Timberwolves vs Portland Trail Blazers: Prediction, Starting Lineups and Betting Tips | February 13, 2024

The Minnesota Timberwolves, who are in the midst of a five-game road trip, will take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. Minnesota is 2-1 in their current away-from-home schedule and holds a 1-0 edge versus Portland in the season series. The Timberwolves will be playing the second leg of a back-to-back set but will be raring to stay unbeaten against the Blazers.

Unlike their surging opponents, the Blazers are struggling badly, particularly on offense. Only the injury-ravaged Memphis Grizzlies are worse than them in offensive rating. Portland’s offense will have to step up or the visitors are likely to run amok.

The Timberwolves are coming off an impressive 121-100 trampling of the LA Clippers less than 24 hours ago. Behind Rudy Gobert’s sparkling defense, Minnesota shut down LA’s high-powered offense. If Portland fails to execute their game plan, the Timberwolves will likely add the hosts to their list of victims.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Portland Trail Blazers: Preview, prediction and betting tips

The Blazers will host the Timberwolves on Tuesday at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, starting at 10:00 p.m. ET. ROOT Sports Plus and Bally Sports North are the local networks that will cover the game. Streaming is also available by subscribing to the NBA League Pass.

Basketball fans can tune in to SiriusXM, Rip City Radio 620 and Wolves App/iHeart Radio to listen in to the action.

Moneyline: Timberwolves (-380) vs. Blazers (+300

Total (O/U): Timberwolves (o215.5 -110) vs. Blazers (u215.5 -110)

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Portland Trail Blazers: Game preview

The Timberwolves have led the NBA in defensive rating for most of the season. That defense bared its teeth against the LA Clippers who looked timid in the face of Minnesota’s suffocating coverage.

The Timberwolves don’t have to worry about Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden putting up buckets. They will have to contend with a Blazers team that has struggled to score. It might be quick work for the Timberwolves if the home team can’t get its act together.

Anfernee Simons will be available for the Blazers but Malcolm Brogdon and Shaedon Sharpe are out. Scoot Henderson is questionable and may not suit up for the team. Jerami Grant has been playing well but he can’t carry Portland on his own. The others will have to play well for them to have a chance of beating the Timberwolves.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Portland Trail Blazers: Starting lineups

Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, and Mike Conley will start for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton a Anfernee Simons jsou jedinými zaručenými startéry. Pokud bude Scoot Henderson vymazán, bude pravděpodobně čtvrtým hráčem v rotaci. V opačném případě by Matisse Thybulle a Jabari Walker mohli otevřít hru pro trenéra Chaunceyho Billupse.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Portland Trail Blazers: Tipy na sázení

Jerami Grant má 21,5 bodů nad/pod, což je kolem jeho sezónního průměru 21,9 PPG. Ostřílený útočník však hořel uprostřed zranění, která pustošila Portland Trail Blazers. V posledních dvou zápasech má průměr 36,5 bodu. Portland k němu bude zoufale chodit pro body, které by ho mohly dotlačit k překonání jeho bodové oporu.

Anthony Edwards získává 25,5 bodů nad/pod. Stejně jako Grant, i „Ant-Man“ byl skvělý v umisťování bodů. Tento měsíc má v průměru 29,5 bodu při 47,7% střelbě, včetně 41,7% z hlubokého. Letargická obrana Portlandu by mu mohla poskytnout výhodu ke skórování nad svou bodovou oporou.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Portland Trail Blazers: Predikce

Obrana Minnesoty Timberwolves dobře cestuje i na silnici. Navzdory tomu, že hráli druhý zápas setu back-to-back, je nepravděpodobné, že budou mít volno na tomto konci. Jejich schopnost uzamknout protivníky bude pravděpodobně stačit k tomu, aby zadržela bojující Portland Trail Blazers. Minnesota by mohla prodloužit svou vítěznou sérii na tři a nahromadit utrpení Portlandu drtivou výhrou.