The Minnesota Timberwolves (-10.5, 201.5) look to even the series against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night after the Warriors controlled Game 1.
Golden State will be without Stephen Curry (hamstring), however, as the star point guard is expected to be sidelined for a week after leaving Tuesday’s game in the first half.
With all that in mind, here are some of the bets that stand out for tonight’s game.
Odds are as of publication time. For the most up-to-date odds, visit ESPN BET
Bets that stand out for Thursday
Naz Reid over 12.5 points (-110)
Reid’s Game 1 performance was encouraging — he scored 19 points on eight of 14 shooting in 33 minutes. He’s a tough matchup for a smaller Warriors lineup thanks to his ability to finish at the rim and knock down threes. The Timberwolves should continue to lean on Reid off the bench as they try to even the series. He’s cleared this line in 80% of games where he’s played 30 or more minutes this season.
Anthony Edwards over 7.5 rebounds (-110)
Edwards has gone over this line in four of his last five games and is clearly giving more effort on the boards. During that stretch, he’s averaged 14.0 rebound chances in 42 minutes per game. He’s well positioned to clear this line again in a very important game for the Wolves.
Rudy Gobert over 10.5 rebounds (-125)
Gobert is a per-minute matchup nightmare against the Warriors, particularly when they play small-ball. The main question entering the series was whether Gobert would be able to stay on the court, with concern that he could have trouble in defensive switches. In Game 1 he grabbed 11 boards in 26 minutes. The Rockets also had success playing their larger lineup against the Warriors, featuring Steven Adams and Alperen Sengun, and they consistently dominated the glass. With Curry out, the Timberwolves should be even better at defending the Dubs using their traditional big lineup. Gobert has grabbed 11 or more boards in three of his five matchups with the Warriors this season.
Projections and injury reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds by ESPN BET
All times ET.
8:30 p.m.
Warriors +10.5 (-107) | Timberwolves -10.5 (-107)
Money line: Warriors +410 | Timberwolves -550
Total: 201.5 (-104 O, -110 U)
BPI Projection: Timberwolves by 1.9, straight up 56%, 212.2 total points.
Injury Report:
Warriors: Stephen Curry, (OUT – Hamstring)
Timberwolves: Rob Dillingham, (GTD – Ankle)
Source: espn.com