Timberwolves vs. Thunder Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for NBA Play-In Game (Back a Low-Scoring Battle in Minnesota)

The 2022-23 NBA Play-In Tournament continues on Friday with a Western Conference showdown between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves as the No. 8 seed is on the line. Minnesota emerged victorious in three of its four regular season meetings against Oklahoma City.

Timberwolves vs. Thunder Game Info

• Date: Friday, April 14, 2023
• Time: 9:30 PM ET
• Venue: Target Center -- Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Coverage: ESPN

Minnesota fell short in a 108-102 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday despite Karl-Anthony Towns' big night (24 points & 11 rebounds). Meanwhile, Oklahoma City took down the New Orleans Pelicans by a score of 123-118 behind the efforts of Josh Giddey (31 points & 10 assists).

Timberwolves vs. Thunder Odds & Spread

• All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: MIN: (-194) | OKC: (+162)
• Spread: MIN: -5 (-110) | OKC: +5 (-110)
• Total: 227.5 -- Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

The Timberwolves enter this contest as moderate home favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 9:30 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 227.5 points, with both sides available at -110 odds.

Timberwolves vs Thunder Betting Information

Favorite	Spread	Favorite Spread Odds	Underdog Spread Odds	Total	Over Total Odds	Under Total Odds	Favorite Moneyline	Underdog Moneyline
Timberwolves	-4.5	-110	-110	229.5	-110	-110	-198	166

Timberwolves vs. Thunder Betting Trends

• The Timberwolves compiled a 42-38-2 ATS record last year.
• The Thunder went 39-24-3 as underdogs of 4.5 points or greater last year.
• Last season, the combined scoring went over the point total 49 times in Timberwolves games.
• Out of 82 Thunder games last season, 40 went over the total.

Timberwolves vs. Thunder Prediction & Pick

The Timberwolves gave the Lakers all they could handle, but a lack of shooting from guard Anthony Edwards (3-of-17 from the floor) as well as 20 turnovers proved costly. The good news is that Minnesota is back on its home court on Friday, where it is shooting 48.5% on the year (No. 7 in NBA).

Oklahoma City comes to town with a bit of momentum after outlasting the Pelicans on the road thanks to its powerful young backcourt. Giddey wasn't the only one who balled out as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 32 points (11-of-22 shooting). That duo gives the Thunder a chance at an upset.

Check out more NBA Playoffs coverage from The Duel:

I lean toward backing the Timberwolves here due to the fact that they rank eighth in fourth-quarter points per home game (28.0) and the Thunder ranks 24th in fourth-quarter points per away game (26.1). Minnesota has proven it can step up late in games with the home crowd cheering the team on.

Final Score Prediction: Timberwolves: 114 | Thunder: 110

Timberwolves vs. Thunder Best Bet

It's worth noting three of the four games between the Thunder and Timberwolves during the regular season resulted in less than 124 total points on the scoreboard. The total has also hit the under in four of Oklahoma City's last five away games as well as in six of Minnesota's last eight games overall.

With a spot in the playoffs on the line, expect possessions to be taken down to the end of the shot clock as players attempt to create as much space as they can. That was the case in the first play-in games for these teams as both Minnesota and OKC attempted less shots than their season average.

Bet: Under 228.5 Total Points (-110)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.