Timberwolves vs Nuggets Odds, Prediction and Betting Trends for Playoffs in Game 2

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The West top-seeded Denver Nuggets didn’t play very well down the stretch of the regular season but they turned it on in Game 1 vs. Minnesota in the West playoffs and are solid favorites on the NBA odds for a 2-0 lead on Wednesday.

Timberwolves vs. Nuggets, Game 2 | 2023 NBA Playoff Expert Analysis

How to Bet Minnesota at Denver NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Wednesday, 10 PM ET
Where: Ball Arena
TV: TNT
Stream: TNT app
Radio: Tunein.com
NBA Odds: Nuggets -8.5 (total 223.5)

Why Bet on Minnesota?

The Timberwolves looked tired after playing two play-in games in their 109-80 loss in Denver in Game 1. Karl-Anthony Towns struggled in shooting 5-for-15 for 11 points with 10 rebounds. Towns had four turnovers and shot 33% from the field, while Rudy Gobert (eight points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks in 26 minutes) attempted just five shots.

Gobert hasn’t had the same lift since his back spasms became an issue, and he wasn’t officially cleared to play in Game 1 until an hour or so before tipoff. He was unable to punish Denver for the lack of defensive attention and failed to get up and down the floor with any type of urgency. The center is still battling back spasms, but that level of performance won’t cut it in this series.

“It’s not great. Not great,” Gobert said of his back – he’s questionable for Game 2 but expected to play. “But I knew tonight was going to be tough because after what I did the last game. We only had one day of traveling and coming back tonight and play, so I knew it was going to be tough. Next game will be better.”

Anthony Edwards accumulated 18 points with five assists. The Wolves were outscored by a 61-35 margin in the second and quarters. Minnesota shot 37% from the field and 11-of-36 from three. In four meetings between the teams during the regular season, Edwards averaged 21.0 points on 46.4% shooting, so he’s capable of doing more.

Mike Conley contributed eight points, four rebounds and three assists over 25 minutes in the opener. Guard Jaylen Nowell (left knee tendinopathy) is questionable to play for Wednesday. He played 22 minutes off the bench in a blowout loss to the Nuggets in Game 1 and had 12 points.

Minnesota scored just 58 points on 71 possessions after three quarters of Game 1 — an offensive rating of 81.7. They only had an offensive rating under 90 in one game this season (87.9 against the Clippers Dec 14).

“Way more physical than we were,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said. “They played with more speed, more force, they kicked our butt in every category you that you possibly can imagine.”

Bet Timberwolves to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Why Bet on Denver?

The Nuggets built an 11-point lead at the half of Game 1 and then blew Minnesota’s doors off by outscoring them 32-14 in the third quarter, taking a 29-point lead into the final 12 minutes. Nikola Jokic led a balanced Denver attack with 13 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists before fouling out with Denver leading by 27 midway through the fourth quarter. Jokic (right wrist sprain) is questionable to play in Game 2 but he’ll play.

Game 1 was his 33rd career playoff double-double and ninth career playoff game with 13+ points, 14+ rebounds and 6+ assists. The two-time MVP has the most career playoff double-doubles in franchise history by 17 (Dan Issel, 16) and has the second most playoff double-doubles in the NBA since 2018-19.

Jamal Murray, in his first playoff game since the 2020 bubble, had 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. After missing his first four shot attempts of the game, Murray was 50% from the field and the lone player on either team to surpass the 20-point mark. He led six Nuggets in double figures. It was Murray’s third career playoff game with 24+ points, 8+ rebounds and 8+ assists and Denver is 3-0 in them.

Michael Porter Jr. had 18 points and 11 rebounds. MPJ was a bit rusty to start Sunday night. He shot 3-of-10 from the field in the first half, then knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in the third quarter as Denver began to pull away. The Nuggets were 3-0 during the regular season when Porter Jr. had 10+ rebounds.

Denver held the Timberwolves to just 80 points, the third fewest points allowed in the playoffs in franchise history. The 29-point margin of victory was the third-largest in franchise playoff history. The Nuggets held the Timberwolves to just 37% (30-81) shooting from the field, the eighth lowest by a Nugget opponent in playoff history.

Bet Nuggets to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Game Trends

Timberwolves are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games.
Timberwolves are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Nuggets are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Nuggets are 19-8 ATS in their last 27 home games.
Timberwolves are 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings.