Bucks vs Timberwolves NBA Lines, Analysis and Prediction in a potential Finals Preview

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It’s a potential NBA Finals preview on Friday night as the Milwaukee Bucks visit the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first game out of the All-Star break for both. The Wolves are favored on the NBA odds to try and finish the season sweep. 2024 NBA Expert Analysis Milwaukee vs. Minnesota | MyBookie Sportsbook NBA Week 17

How to Bet Bucks at Timberwolves NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Friday, 10 PM ET
Where: Target Center
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: Tunein.com
NBA Odds: Timberwolves -4 (total 225)

Bucks vs Timberwolves Series History

On Feb. 8, the Timberwolves stomped the Bucks 129-105 in Milwaukee. Anthony Edwards had 26 points and nine assists and Minnesota Timberwolves shot 21 of 41 from 3-point range. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 19 points, Mike Conley added 18, Naz Reid 17 and Rudy Gobert 16. It was the home debut of newish Bucks coach Doc Rivers. Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton were out injured. With the game out of reach late in the third quarter, the Bucks also opted to rest Giannis Antetokounmpo for the last 16 minutes. Minnesota now leads 34-33 all-time.

Why Bet on Milwaukee Bucks?

Maybe the Bucks can ride the momentum of Damian Lillard, who had the best All-Star Weekend of anyone. He won as 3-Point Contest champion on Saturday night in Indianapolis. In doing so, he became the first repeat winner of the contest since 2007 and 2008, when Jason Kapono reeled off consecutive victories. In Sunday’s All-Star Game, Lillard was named MVP as the Eastern Conference routed the West. He was 14-of-26 overall and 11-of-23 from three-point range.

Lillard and Michael Jordan (1987-88, Slam Dunk) as only players to win an All-Star Saturday Night competition and All-Star MVP in the same year. Dame said the 3-point champ/MVP combo was his goal entering the weekend: “It was something that I put my mind on and that’s going to be what my intentions are this weekend and I was able to do it.”

The Bucks will return from the All-Star break on Friday having gone 3-7 in Coach Doc Rivers’ first 10 games as coach after the team put together a 32-14 record beforehand. There have been questions whether this was a good move for Rivers, although two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo believes in his new coach.

“He’s coached a lot of successful teams in the past,” Antetokounmpo said during the All-Star break. “When you have that guy on your bench, you have to be able to bring your ‘A’ game.”

Giannis is on pace to become the first player ever to average at least 30 points on 60% shooting from the field. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record for best field-goal percentage in a 30-point season when he averaged 31.7 ppg while shooting 57.7% while with the Bucks in 1970-71.

Despite the Bucks’ strong record with Adrian Griffin as head coach to start this season, defense had been a major problem. The Bucks’ defensive ranking plummeted from the year prior, when Mike Budenholzer was the head coach, dropping from fourth in defensive rating in 2022-23 to 21st with Griffin as head coach. It was actually worse in the weeks leading up to Griffin’s firing, with the Bucks ranking 28th in defensive rating in January. Milwaukee ranks 12th in defensive rating under Rivers. The issues have come on offense. Milwaukee ranks fifth this season in offensive rating but is just 22nd over its last 10 games.

The Bucks remain without former All-Star Khris Middleton due to injury. Middleton left the first quarter Feb. 6 against the Phoenix Suns after incurring a sprained ankle. Heading into the all-star break, the Bucks were 8-5 in games Middleton, 32, has missed this season, but they’d lost four of six. Middleton has started all 43 games in which he’s played. He’s been efficient when available, shooting 49% from the field and 38% from three-point range.

Why Bet on Minnesota Timberwolves?

Minnesota comes out of the break with the Western Conference’s best record at 39-16, 1.5 games up on West second-place Oklahoma City. The Wolves won 128-91 at Portland in their final game pre-break, their fourth straight win – all by double digits. Karl-Anthony Towns notched 23 points and eight rebounds and is averaging 19.8 points and 5.5 rebounds during the winning streak. Towns had 50 points in Sunday’s All-Star Game for the losing Western Conference. He scored more points than any Dominican or international player had ever tallied in the All-Star Game.

“It’s great. It’s a huge honor. It’s all because of my teammates. My teammates tonight kept finding me and passing me the ball,” said Towns. “I just was trying to take advantage of the opportunity and make some shots. I wish I could have made a little more, but beggars can’t be choosers on a night like this.”

Towns is averaging 22.5 points on 51.7% shooting, including a career-high 43.7% from three and 8.4 rebounds per game. Towns is one of three players in the NBA this season to average 20+ points while shooting 50% or better from the field and 40% or more from three-point range (Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard).

Fellow All-Star Anthony Edwards is 12th in the NBA in scoring at 26.3 ppg. In his fourth season, he’s totaled 18 30+ point games, the most among fourth-year players (10th in the NBA). Edwards is in elite company this season as one of only seven players in NBA history aged 22 or younger to average at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists. He would join Kobe Bryant, Luka Dončić, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Tracy McGrady, Ja Morant and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to do so.

The Timberwolves have been stellar against the top teams in the NBA this season. Minnesota is first (.676) in winning percentage vs. teams that are currently .500 or better. The Wolves rank third (.493) in field goal percentage vs. teams that are currently .500 or better and first (.448) in the NBA in opponents field goal percentage when facing teams that are currently .500 or better.

Early this week, the team signed point guard Mike Conley to a two-year extension worth just $21 million, a bargain for one of their most important players, and their on-court-and-in-the-clubhouse leader. That deal would not have happened if Conley, 36, wasn’t sold on the team, coaching staff, front office and city, and didn’t feel optimistic about the future with the team.

Conley is earning $24 million this season in the final year of his current contract. He would have been Minnesota’s biggest free agent this summer. Conley has started all 50 of his games for the Wolves in 2023-24 and in 28.9 minutes per night, he has averaged 10.6 PPG, 6.4 APG, 2.9 RPG and 1.0 SPG. In his 17th NBA season, Conley is posting career-high marks from three-point range (44.2%) and the free throw line (92.3%).

Bucks vs Timberwolves Expert Prediction

Timberwolves 118, Bucks 112

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