For Your Twolves vs Rockets Pick: MyBookie has the NBA Betting Odds for the Game

Two Western Conference contenders face off in their first game out of the All-Star break on Friday night as the Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Rockets, who are short favorites on the NBA odds in their fourth and final meeting of the regular season – although it’s certainly possible they meet in the West playoffs. Houston is sitting fourth in the West and Minnesota seventh, the first spot in the play-in tournament.

Check out the Twolves vs Rockets pick at MyBookie for the best odds and expert insights. Stay ahead with top NBA betting strategies and updates to enhance your game day experience.

Looking to Bet On Your Timberwolves vs Rockets Pick to Win the Next Game

When: Friday, 9:30 PM ET
Where: Toyota Center
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Opening NBA Lines: Rockets -4 (total 218.5)

No Injury Worries For Wolves’ Star

The Timberwolves would own a potentially important head-to-head seeding tiebreaker with a victory as they lead the series 2-1. They last met on Feb. 6 in the Twin Cities and the Wolves prevailed 127-114. All-Star Anthony Edwards was spectacular with 41 points, seven rebounds and six assists. He scored 16 points in the fourth, which began with Houston leading by six.

Rudy Gobert had back-to-back dunks to start the quarter before Edwards took over with three 3-pointers as Minnesota outscored Houston 35-16 over the final 12 minutes. Jalen Green led Houston with 28 points. Alperen Sengun had 16 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Rockets.

Houston has outscored the Wolves 46-19 in fast-break points in the three games with Minnesota having just 2 in two of those. The Rockets shot a very good 48.9% in the two losses. The Timberwolves shot 9-of-38 from 3-point range in their loss on Nov. 26 and averaged 18.5 made 3-pointers on 45.1% shooting in their two wins. Edwards is averaging 31.3 points in the series. Sengun is averaging 25.3 points and 10.7 rebounds for Houston and Fred VanVleet 22.5 points and 9.0 assists (missed one).

No Injury Worries For Wolves’ Star

Minnesota played maybe its best game of the season last Thursday before the break in upsetting visiting Oklahoma City 116-101 despite playing without three key guys. Point guard Mike Conley, who has a sprained right index finger, was sidelined for the fourth consecutive game. Power forward Julius Randle missed his eighth in a row with a strained right groin muscle. Guard Donte DiVincenzo, whose absence reached 16 games, remained out with a sprained left big toe.

All-Star Anthony Edwards struggled with his shot in the win as he was 5-for-18 but finished with 23 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Edwards has improved his three-point shot this season and now he’s using that threat to make him even more effective driving to the basket. After averaging 2.4 free-throw attempts per game in December, Edwards took an average of 8.1 free throws in January and 11 per game in February.

Edwards averaged just 20.5 points per game in December, but pushed that figure to 30.3 in January. In six February games, he’s averaging 34.3 PPG. Since Jan. 1, the Wolves are averaging 23.6 free throw attempts per game, the fourth-highest mark in the NBA during that span. Edwards sat out Sunday’s All-Star Game due to a groin injury. He didn’t want to risk aggravating the condition with so little at stake. He will play on Thursday.

“I’ve never been an All-Star Game type of guy, to like take it serious and go out there and try to guard somebody and get a stop,” Edwards said. “I’ve never been that type of guy. I just save it for the Timberwolves season, pretty much.”

Minnesota remains one of the NBA’s best defensive teams and has held its opponents below 40% from the field and below 30% from three in the same game seven times, the second-most such games in the NBA this season.

Two Injured Rockets May Return

Houston has little to no depth in terms of the true point guard position, and with injuries hitting the team as of late, the Rockets have struggled in the month of February with a 2-6 record. That has been in part due to starting point guard Fred VanVleet not playing since Feb. 1 due to an ankle injury. It’s possible but unlikely he returns tonight. The 30-year-old is struggling a bit in terms of efficiency but averaging 14.6 points and 5.8 assists per game. The Rockets are 4-6 without FVV this season.

In addition, power forward Jabari Smith has been out of action since Jan. 1 after breaking his hand but he will return. The No. 3 overall pick from the 2022 NBA Draft is vital to a poor shooting team (Houston sits No. 28 in three-point percentage) with a 36.1 percent mark beyond the arc across the last two seasons. He’s Houston’s leading rim protector when paired with Şengün. The Rockets’ defense is 6.3 points per 100 possessions with Smith on the floor compared to when he sits. He sports a plus-5.2 net rating after posting negative marks in his first two NBA seasons.

That said, given how well Amen Thompson has played in his 25 games as a starter in place of Smith, averaging 16.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists, it seems unlikely he’ll head back to the bench so Smith might do so. The Rockets, who are 12-10 in the 22 games Smith has missed, have seven players averaging at least 11.0 ppg this season. They are 9-1 this season when Smith scores at least 15 points.

The Rockets are 2-1 overall since losing six straight prior. Houston did not lose more than two consecutive games prior to that six-game skid this season. The Rockets are 34-21 overall after not having more than 24 wins through the first 55 games over the previous 4 seasons. Houston is 6-6 over its past 12 home games after winning 10 of its previous 11 (17-9 overall).

Twolves vs Rockets Pick & Scre Prediction

Minnesota will remain without Randle on Thursday due to his adductor strain that has kept him out since Jan. 30. Randle and DiVincenzo were the big pieces back from the Knicks in the offseason trade of Karl-Anthony Towns.  Randle is averaging 18.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game.

DiVincenzo has been out since Jan. 15 with a turf toe injury and might play here. He had finally found his footing with the Timberwolves before going down with the toe injury, as he had averaged 17.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 4.0 three-pointers and 1.5 steals in 31.6 minutes in his six appearances since moving into the starting five Jan. 6.

Friday is the first part of a back-to-back for Houston which plays at Utah on Saturday. The Rockets are 5-7 in the second game of B2Bs this season (4-10 in 2023-24). Twelve of Houston’s past 25 games overall have been decided by five or fewer points. The Rockets are 12-8 in games decided by 5 or fewer points this season, including 6-5 by 3 or fewer. They are 32-7 when leading by 10+ points this season and have 16 wins by 10+ points, including 9 by 20+.

Houston is hoping to split the season series after losing the previous four season series (lost four series prior in the all-time series).  Minnesota has won 12 of the past 14 games after losing 24 of the previous 29. Houston has lost six of its past seven home games vs. the Wolves after winning 14 straight prior. The over is 6-1 on the total in the past seven meetings.

Expert NBA Score Prediction: Rockets 111, Timberwolves 109
NBA Pick: Rockets

MyBookie Odds for Timberwolves at Rockets | Rockets -4 (total 218.5)
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The NBA has released its latest Power Rankings:

1) 76ers
2) Timberwolves
3) Nuggets
4) Celtics
5) Mavericks

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— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 13, 2023

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