Why is the NBA like this? Who gains from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder playing each other until well past 11 p.m. local time last night only to reconvene 800 miles away fewer than 20 hours later? This is foolish.
My Timberwolves vs. Thunder predictions and NBA picks will stay away from any side or total in this farce of a back-to-back, instead focusing on a reliable player prop before tip at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, February 24.
Timberwolves vs Thunder prediction
My best bet
Jaden McDaniels Over 14.5 points (-125 at bet365)
My analysis
Yours truly was greedy in this regard last night, betting on Jaden McDaniels to score at least 20 points with +230 odds. The logic was sound: Betting McDaniels to reach 16 points at -115 paled in comparative value to scoring 20 points at +230. Four more points of production were worth that jump in payout.
And McDaniels nearly vindicated that greed, scoring 17 points in the 130-123 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The fifth-year wing continues to score despite shooting struggles.
He went just 5 of 15 from the field, undone by a 1 of 6 showing from deep. In his last three games, McDaniels has shot 43.8% from the field and 3-for-19 (15.8%) from deep, yet he has scored 21, 21 and 17 points, respectively.
Frankly, opponents should fear the idea of McDaniels snapping out of this shooting slump. Since an adductor strain sidelined Julius Randle, McDaniels has scored at least 20 points in five of 10 games, playing that many more minutes at power forward and getting more touches overall. In that stretch, he has still shot just 29.8% from deep.
In the long run, the Minnesota Timberwolves will be glad McDaniels has not lost any aggression in this stretch, shooting 4.7 threes per game compared to just 3.7 in the 48 games before Randle’s extended absence. In the short term, McDaniels just keeps missing, and it costs the Timberwolves.
The “keeps” verb choice is intentional. As long as McDaniels keeps shooting, he is worth betting on. He has scored 38 points in two games against the Thunder in recent weeks despite going 2-for-12 from deep.
Without Randle, with Rudy Gobert possibly limited, and with Oklahoma City focused on Anthony Edwards, trust McDaniels’s inefficient offensive barrage to continue.
Timberwolves vs Thunder same-game parlay
Jaden McDaniels Over 14.5 points
Anthony Edwards Over 3.5 threes
Timberwolves +12
Anthony Edwards is settling more often, particularly since Randle’s injury. He's taken 13.4 threes per game since Jan. 31, making only 34.6%. Before Randle’s extended absence, Edwards took 9.8 threes per game, making 42.3%.
Losing Minnesota’s second-best scorer has left Edwards facing more defensive pressure than he wants to drive through. It is costing the Timberwolves.
Nonetheless, Edwards tends to make at least four 3-pointers every night. In his eight games without Randle, Edwards has cleared this prop in six, both exceptions coming by just the hook.
Betting Minnesota to stay within the lofty number is a risk given the foolish schedule-making, but of its 27 losses this season, only four have come by such a big margin. And two of those four were clear moments when the young Timberwolves roster overlooked an inferior opponent, not a risk tonight.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Timberwolves vs Thunder odds
Timberwolves vs Thunder live odds
Timberwolves vs Thunder opening odds
- Spread: Minnesota +12 | Oklahoma City -12
- Moneyline: Minnesota +525 | Oklahoma City -750
- Over/Under: Over 226 | Under 226
Odds courtesy of bet365
Timberwolves vs Thunder spread and Over/Under analysis
- After Monday night’s tight game, this spread opened with the home team favored by 12, spending some of the night at -12.5 before returning to -12.
- Jumping the spread by 3.5 points compared to last night’s number might be too short of a jump, given a usual homecourt switch should account for 4.5 or 5 points.
- However, given the outlandish scheduling here, some caution should be shown when making any adjustments.
- This total opened at 226 and climbed to 228 by Monday morning.
Timberwolves vs Thunder trend
Minnesota is 4-1 against the spread on the second night of a back-to-back in 2025, while Oklahoma City is 2-3 ATS in those moments. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs Thunder.
How to watch Timberwolves vs Thunder
| Location | Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK |
| Date | Monday, 2-24-2025 |
| Tip-off | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | FD Sports Network-Oklahoma, FDSN-North |
Timberwolves vs Thunder latest injuries
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