Timberwolves vs Trail Blazers Odds, Picks, and Predictions Tonight: A Trail Un-Blazed

Betting on the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Portland Trail Blazers for the second time in a week might not catch your attention, but do not overlook it. After this, there will not be a competitive NBA game for a full week.

How else are you going to satiate your basketball craving until the Magic face the Cavs on February 22?

Ideally, you’ll scratch that itch by remembering winning a wager against the NBA odds tonight in Portland. Ironically, the best way to win tonight may be to count on the Blazers overlooking this game.

Let’s look into an ugly game for value in our free NBA picks and predictions as we preview the Timberwolves vs the Trail Blazers on Thursday, February 15.

Timberwolves vs Trail Blazers odds

Timberwolves vs Trail Blazers predictions

The NBA season is a long one, rife with travel and afternoon naps. Everyone involved suffers some burnout at some point, from players to coaches to beat writers. Some of that is physical, and some of it is psychological.

So it is only human nature to look at a week off and mentally check out a bit early. Even with two Portland Trail Blazers heading to Indianapolis this weekend — both Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe will play in Friday’s Rising Stars mini-tournament — that young roster may already mentally be on some Mexican beaches. As the old NBA phrase goes, “1, 2, 3, Cancun!”

That is an intangible thought, one that is difficult to base a handicap on. But then notice three NBA rosters with an average age younger than 25 are out of any version of contention. (Related: The Thunder and the Magic have built success on the second- and fourth-youngest rosters in the league and that is an intriguing thought to focus on).

On Wednesday night, those other two young and failing rosters fell 23.5 points (the Spurs) and 18.5 points (the Pistons) short of their team totals. Each also has two players heading to that Friday showcase.

If ever there is a night to doubt the Blazers’ youth, with a preseason average age of 24.2 years, it is tonight.

Particularly against the Minnesota Timberwolves defense. So often, handicapping is based on identifying a trend and riding it just long enough to profit but not so long as it is figured out or expires. That has been difficult with Minnesota simply because there has been so little lull to its season.

It suffered some critical fourth-quarter offensive woes in mid-January, but its defense has never lagged. Pull up any subset of at least 10 games during the season, and the Timberwolves defense remains atop the defensive ratings rankings.

In their last 13 games, they have held eight opponents below their team totals, two of the three most recent missteps undone in part by late-game offense giving the Magic and the Bulls unexpected hope. The third recent misstep was on Tuesday against the Blazers when Minnesota was up by so much that it allowed 13 points in the final 2:16.

That may be the risk in this bet tonight, another blowout perhaps giving Portland late points, but with the Blazers already packing their swimsuits, they may have their own incentive to run out that clock.

My best bet: Trail Blazers team total Under 102.5 (-110 at FanDuel)

Timberwolves vs Trail Blazers same-game parlay

Trail Blazers TT Under 102.5

Scoot Henderson Over 12.5 points

Rudy Gobert Over 14.5 points

+554 at FanDuel

Combining a Blazers team total Under with a Henderson points prop Over creates immediate value in this same-game parlay, the sportsbook algorithm disagreeing with the counter-intuitive combination. But give Henderson some credit. He has averaged 19 points in his last five games, even with two of those capped at 22 minutes.

Henderson managed an efficient 14 points on Tuesday, buoyed by going 5-of-5 at the free-throw line. He has found his place in the NBA, even if too many people still want to disparage him for spending some time in the G-League.

As for Rudy Gobert, the sportsbooks will catch up at some point, certainly before the public does. He has bene an all-around player this season and should be in the MVP conversation. Gobert has scored at least 15 points in 13 of his last 18 games, including six of his last seven after Tuesday’s 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting.

As long as his points prop remains below 15, and possibly as long as it remains below 16, this should be included in any bet.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Timberwolves vs Trail Blazers spread and Over/Under analysis

This spread opened Wednesday afternoon with the Timberwolves favored by nine points, a number that slipped to -8.5 late Wednesday night with Anthony Edwards again listed on the injury report with a knee worry, but every indication on Thursday suggests Edwards will play, bumping this number back to -9.5.

While these two-game series in the season are difficult to get a grasp on, it warrants notice that Minnesota was favored by 8.5 on Tuesday and cruised to a 12-point win that was not that close in a variety of ways.

The total tonight opened at 215.5 and climbed to 216 late on Wednesday, before tumbling to 214.5 throughout Thursday, perhaps an acknowledgment of the allure of a tiki bar awaiting on Friday morning.

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Timberwolves vs Trail Blazers betting trend to know

On a four-game homestand to close this part of the season, Portland has gone 0-3 against the spread thus far. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Trail Blazers.

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