With only five games left on the schedule, the Golden State Warriors still have a pretty good chance of either tying or breaking the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ record of 72 regular-season wins. However, the Warriors can’t afford another meltdown like what happened last Friday against Boston.
On the flipside, the Minnesota Timberwolves will try to spoil Golden State’s magical season by hopefully winning a huge match at Oracle this Tuesday, but that’s easier said than done. Do the Wolves have enough mettle to upset the league’s best team, or will the Dubs complete their season sweep of Minnesota instead?
Let’s find out more about this intriguing Western Conference showdown below. And for even more Tuesday night NBA coverage, head over to our previews for San Antonio vs. Utah and Cleveland vs. Milwaukee right after this.
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Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Golden State Warriors Preview
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland
When: Tuesday, April 5, 10:30 PM ET
Line: Minnesota Timberwolves (+16) at Golden State Warriors (-16); total: 225.5 – view all NBA lines
Betting on the Minnesota Timberwolves (25-52)
The offseason cannot come any sooner for the up-and-coming Minnesota Timberwolves, who suffered their third-straight defeat on Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks, 88-78. The Mavs made 14 three-pointers in that game, which does not bode well for a Minnesota team that’s about to face the best three-point shooting team in the NBA this Tuesday.
There’ll be a ton of potential and promise from this dynamic Minny duo for the next season, and even for their upcoming visit to Oakland considering that they’ve averaged over 20 points apiece against Golden State this season. In their most recent meeting from March 21, Wiggins and Towns played extremely well, combining for 49 points as the Wolves hung tough in a 109-104 loss to the Dubs.
Then again, that close contest also brought out Minnesota’s weakness: depth. The team only got 16 points from its players not named Wiggins, Towns, Ricky Rubio or Zach LaVine that night. In other words, 85 percent of the Wolves’ offense came purely from four of their starters.
Having said that, don’t count on the Wolves to shock the Warriors and pull off the stunning upset at Oracle. Instead, you may want to consider siding with them against the spread. In spite of going just 3-6 over their last nine road games, they’re actually 5-4 ATS during that span.
Create a betting account now to cash in from all the exciting NBA regular season games on tap as we head closer towards the postseason.
Betting on the Golden State Warriors (69-8)
The Golden State Warriors returned with a vengeance by way of a blistering 136-111 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday – just two days after suffering their first home loss of the season to the Boston Celtics.
As usual, reigning MVP Steph Curry was in the zone against the Blazers with his 39 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Versatile forward Draymond Green also secured his 13th triple-double of the season that night with his solid 22-10-10 line.
Not only that, but the Warriors also became the first team in NBA history to make 1,000 three-pointers in the regular season behind a white-hot 18-of-30 clip from beyond the arc on Sunday.
Coincidentally, Golden State also sank 18 shots from deep in its 129-116 drubbing of Minnesota on November 12, with Curry going supernova for 46 points. By the way, Steph’s averaging a staggering 31 points per contest against the Wolves this season.
There are still a few more notable records that the Dubs can shatter this season, like becoming the first team in league history to not post back-to-back losses in the regular season, and the aforementioned 72-win season of the ’95-’96 Chicago Bulls. However, they must first proceed with caution taking on a Minnesota team that could shock them this Tuesday night, especially with a pair of crucial matches against the mighty San Antonio Spurs on the horizon.
Thankfully, the Dubs have a seven-game winning streak against the Wolves going for them. They only won three of those four games against the spread, though, which further stresses the possibility of an unlikely Minnesota upset.
Writer’s Prediction
The Warriors easily win in double-digits, but not enough to cover the massive (-16) odds against them. Final score: 113-100.
