MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES VS. LA CLIPPERS ODDS AND PREDICTIONS FOR FEBRUARY 12, 2024

Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Latest Basketball News. One of the games on tap from tonight’s slate features the Minnesota Timberwolves (36-16 SU, 26-25-1 ATS) taking on the LA Clippers (35-16 SU, 28-23 ATS).

Here is a look at which team has the edge going into this matchup and why. 

Tipoff

• When: Monday, February 12, 2024
  
• Time: 10:30 PM ET
  
• Where: Crypto.com Arena
  
• Location: Los Angeles, California
  
• TV: BSSC and BSNX

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. LA Clippers Odds (Via DraftKings)

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. LA Clippers – Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Can The Timberwolves Hold Their Own Against The Clippers?

Minnesota Timberwolves Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 113.4 PPG – 22ND             
• Offensive Efficiency: 115.6 points per 100 possessions – 18TH               
• Scoring Defense: 107.1 PPG – 1ST             
• Defensive Efficiency: 109.1 points per 100 possessions – 1ST      

The Minnesota Timberwolves sit atop the Western Conference, albeit by just a half-game. Minnesota is 6-4 in its last 10 outings and comes into this matchup on the heels of a 129-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night. 

Anthony Edwards set the tone for Minnesota’s offense as he finished with 26 points (on 9-for-20 shooting), nine rebounds, and three assists. Karl Anthony-Towns added 19 points and five rebounds, while Rudy Gobert contributed 16 points, 11 boards and four dimes. 

Not only did Minnesota shoot the ball at an efficient clip – 55.2 percent overall and 51.2 percent from beyond the arc – the team also committed just eight turnovers, their third-lowest total of the season. 

“Offensively, I thought we found a lot of really good shots, and we didn’t turn the ball over,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said,  via CBS Sports. “We didn’t force anything when it wasn’t there.”

Minnesota will need a similar effort against a Clippers squad that boasts a 27-6 record since the start of December. 

Can The Clippers Take Over The Top Spot In The Western Conference?

LA Clippers Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 118.4 PPG – 10TH      
• Offensive Efficiency: 120.8 points per 100 possessions – 3RD              
• Scoring Defense: 112.3 PPG – 8TH             
• Defensive Efficiency: 114.5 points per 100 possessions – 11TH       

Meanwhile, the LA Clippers have the second-best record in the Western Conference, and they have posted eight wins in their last 10 contests. The team saw its four-game winning streak snapped with a 117-108 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans last week. 

However, Los Angeles bounced back with a 112-106 win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. Paul George paced the Clippers’ offense with 33 points, five rebounds, and three assists. 

Kawhi Leonard added 24 points, five assists, and four rebounds. James Harden contributed 14 points, six rebounds, and six assists. 

In what should have been a blowout against the worst team in the league, the Pistons held a five-point advantage before the Clippers pulled away with a 36-25 scoring edge in the final frame. Not only that but the Pistons also outrebounded the Clippers by a 57-35 margin.

“Give the Pistons credit. They’re playing well over the past three or four games. This is one of those tough games, play early (in the day) against a young team and you got to be ready for them,” George said, via ESPN.

“I thought they were ready to come out. We had to make the adjustments. I thought playing the small ball helped us with creating energy and that was just the turning point of the game.”

With first place on the line, The Clippers will need a solid effort from start to finish against a Minnesota squad that is significantly better than the Detroit team they struggled against. 

Now that we have set the table for this Western Conference tilt, let us look at the betting trends for both sides.

The Picks

The Spread

The Clippers opened as a four-point favorite. The line has recently climbed to 4.5 points for the home team. (per pre-game.com). Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season. 

• The Timberwolves are 4-2 ATS in their last six games.
• Minnesota is 5-1 ATS in their last six matchups against the Clippers. 
• In its last nine road contests, the Timberwolves are 6-3 against the spread.
• The Clippers are 8-4 ATS in their last 12 outings.
• Los Angeles is just 7-13 ATS in its last 20 matchups against Northwest Division opponents.
• In its last eight February games, LA is 2-6 against the spread.

Given the above trends, going with the road team to cover a small spread is the best play here.

Prediction: Minnesota Timberwolves (+4.5)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 222 points. At the time of this writing, the line has climbed to 222.5 points. Here is why going with the “under” is the smart choice. 

• The total has gone UNDER six times in the Timberwolves’ last nine outings.
• The UNDER total cashed in six times in Minnesota’s last eight matchups against Los Angeles.
• In the Timberwolves’ last five contests against Western Conference teams, the UNDER total hit ALL five times.
• The total has gone UNDER seven times in the Clippers’ last nine games.
• In LA’s last five matchups against Minnesota, the UNDER total prevailed four times.
• The UNDER total is 6-2 for LA in its last eight home games against the Timberwolves. 

Prediction: UNDER 222.5 points

Player Prop Bets

One of the key players to watch for the road team is Anthony Edwards. He currently has -125 odds of scoring more than 25.5 points and -105 odds of finishing with less than 25.5 points.

Here is a glance to see how his numbers compare to the projected points total for this matchup. 

• On the season, Edwards is averaging 25.9 points per outing. 
• In 26 road contests this season, he is averaging 25.7 PPG.
• Edwards has played against Western Conference teams 30 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 25 points per outing.
• In eight matchups against Pacific Division opponents, Edwards is averaging 28.3 points per game.
• Over his last 10 outings, Edwards is averaging 25.7 points per game, while exceeding the points total for this matchup six times during that stretch.

Going with the “over” for Edwards is the smart choice based on the above trends.

Prediction: Anthony Edwards OVER 25.5 points

The key player to watch for the home team is Paul George. He currently has -105 odds of scoring more than 20.5 points and -125 odds of finishing with less than 20.5 points. 

Let us look closer to see how his numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup. 

• On the season, George is averaging 22.5 points per outing.
• In 24 home contests, he is averaging 22.7 PPG.

• George has played against Western Conference teams 31 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 23.3 points per outing.
• In 10 matchups against Northwest Division opponents, George averages 24.5 points per game.
• Over his last 10 outings, George has averaged 17.1 points per contest, exceeding the points total for this matchup only twice during that stretch.

Prediction: Paul George OVER 25.5 points

 

James’s Minnesota Timberwolves vs. LA Clippers Picks

• The Spread: Minnesota Timberwolves (+4.5)
• Over/Under: UNDER 222.5 points
• Player Prop Bet #1: Anthony Edwards OVER 25.5 points
• Player Prop Bet #2: Paul George OVER 20.5 points