Sports are funny in that big favorites can often cost you money because they have a tendency to play down to the level of their opponent. Overconfidence can lead to defeats that should never have when talent levels are compared. This is what the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to have to avoid when they head into the Target Center to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, January 8. Tip-off is set for 8 PM EST on ESPN. To check on all the odds from every NBA game going on you can click here.

Cleveland Cavaliers Vs Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Betting Analysis

We don’t really have to wait for the odds to go live to know that the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to be overwhelming favorites for this one. If there is a reason to bet against them, it would have to be that they are playing just .500 ball on the road. That might suggest that the struggling Timberwolves might be able to get something here. MyBookie.ag will have all the odds and lines for this game as soon as they are made available.

Why bet on the Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers (23-9) are in a rich vein of form right now, having gone 8-2 in their last 10 games to open up a 3-game lead atop the Eastern Conference. While they are just 8-8 on the road as of Monday night, they have won their last 2 away from home, as well as their last 4 overall. They will be starting a tough 7-game road trip on Wednesday night in Washington, which may put their conference lead in jeopardy if they cannot play better road ball. The Cavaliers have gone 12-4 versus teams with a sub .500 record this season, so there should be no letdown here. The Cavs are averaging 100.5 PPG, and are giving up 94.7 PPG as of Monday night.

Why bet on the Minnesota Timberwolves

With just 1 win in their last 8 games, it is beginning to look as though the season might be coming to a premature end for the 12-23 Timberwolves. They are just 4 games back of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, but that looks like a pretty big gap to bridge at this point. Minnesota has lost 3 in a row heading into their Wednesday night game with the Denver Nuggets, and have only managed 5 wins on home court this season. They are also a miserable 4-15 versus teams with a record of .500 or better. They are averaging 99.7 PPG, and are giving up 102.9 PPG as of Monday night.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

While you can certainly look at how Cleveland have performed on the road and make an argument for the Timberwolves, it just wouldn’t be a very convincing one. I like the Cavs to win this one by double digits.