Timberwolves Start the Post Jimmy Butler Era Against the Pelicans
Now that Jimmy Butler is being shipped out of town, can the Minnesota Timberwolves (5-9 SU, 6-8 ATS) get their season back on track? They’ll host the New Orleans Pelicans (7-6 SU, 6-7 ATS) this Wednesday at 8 PM ET on ESPN. Newcomers Dario Saric and Robert Covington should be ready for the Timberwolves, provided the Butler trade with the Philadelphia 76ers is finalized on Monday and they pass their physicals as expected. TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN Line: Pelicans -1; O/U: 236 Both Saric and Covington could find themselves in Minnesota’s starting lineup on Wednesday. Saric would be an upgrade over PF Taj Gibson. Covington would take over for Butler at small forward. However, the Wolves rotation remains in flux with Jeff Teague (knee), Derrick Rose (face) and Andrew Wiggins (quadriceps) all listed as day-to-day. The Pelicans have two of their own starters to worry about. PG Elfrid Payton and PF Nikola Mirotic are day-to-day with ankle injuries. Payton has been out since late October, but is likely to return this week. Mirotic has missed one game and may be available on Wednesday after being seen at practice wearing an ankle brace. The Pelicans started the year at 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS with their full lineup. PREDICTION: Pelicans 120, Timberwolves 108NBA Betting Odds & Trends
| New Orleans Pelicans | ||
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games | ||
| New Orleans is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games | ||
| New Orleans is 17-8 ATS in its last 25 games on the road | ||
| New Orleans is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road | ||
| New Orleans is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road | ||
| The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans’s last 5 games on the road | ||
| New Orleans is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota | ||
| New Orleans is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota | ||
| The total has gone OVER in 9 of New Orleans’s last 11 games when playing Minnesota | ||
| New Orleans is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Minnesota | ||
| The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota | ||
Minnesota Timberwolves |
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|---|---|---|
| Minnesota is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games | ||
| Minnesota is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games | ||
| The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota’s last 6 games | ||
| Minnesota is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home | ||
| Minnesota is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home | ||
| The total has gone OVER in 7 of Minnesota’s last 9 games at home | ||
| Minnesota is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing New Orleans | ||
| Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing New Orleans | ||
| The total has gone OVER in 9 of Minnesota’s last 11 games when playing New Orleans | ||
| Minnesota is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games when playing at home against New Orleans | ||
| The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota’s last 5 games when playing at home against New Orleans | ||