Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Portland Trail Blazers Preview
Where: Moda Center, Portland
When: Thursday, April 6, 2017, 10:30 PM ET
Line: Minnesota Timberwolves (+6) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (-6); total: 218.5 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: TNT
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Betting on the Minnesota Timberwolves (31-46)
The Minnesota Timberwolves came crashing back to earth on Tuesday as they absorbed a 121-107 loss to the Golden State Warriors. The Wolves had difficulty stopping Klay Thompson who scored 41 points to record his 10th career 40-point game. With the defeat, the Wolves have now lost two of their last three outings. The Wolves will look to get their season back on track when they square off with the Portland Trail Blazers this coming Thursday. For Minnesota to grab the all-important victory, it needs to improve on its outside shooting. The Wolves shot just 4-of-19 (21.1 percent) from beyond the arc in the loss to the Warriors.
It’s paramount for the Wolves that Ricky Rubio rediscovers his shooting stroke against Portland. The Spaniard looked a bit fatigued in the loss to the Warriors, scoring just 15 points on 6-of-17 shooting from the floor. Rubio was spectacular in Minnesota’s 110-109 win over Portland last Monday, scoring 11 points, dishing out 16 dimes and grabbing seven rebounds. Rubio has already said that the Wolves are not going to quit even though they’re eliminated from playoff contention so expect another humdinger of a showdown with the Blazers this coming Thursday.
The Wolves are 2-8 SU and 3-6-1 ATS in their last 10 road games.
Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers (38-40)
It’s squeaky bum time for the Portland Trail Blazers heading into the final four games of the season. They only hold a one-game lead over the Denver Nuggets for the final playoff spot in the West after losing to the Utah Jazz, 106-87, on Tuesday. Fortunately for the Blazers, they still hold the tiebreak over the Nuggets so there’s still room for error in their quest to make the postseason.
Jusuf Nurkic’s unexpected leg injury has definitely taken the steam out of Portland’s late-season charge. The Blazers are 1-2 without Nurkic in the lineup, beating the hapless Phoenix Suns before dropping road games against the Wolves and the Jazz. Nurkic’s absence has brutally exposed the Blazers’ lack of frontcourt depth. They were outrebounded by Utah on Tuesday, 47-28.
With Nurkic sidelined for the foreseeable future, the onus is on Damian Lillard to carry the fight for the Blazers. Lillard struggled mightily in the loss to the Jazz, scoring just 16 points on a woeful 5-of-20 shooting from the field. In Portland’s last two losses, Lillard has just shot a combined 4-of-14 from deep. The Blazers need Lillard to overcome his shooting doldrums fast if they are to hang on to that all-important No. 8 seed.
The Blazers are 3-0 ATS in their last three games against the Wolves.
Writer’s Prediction
The Blazers (-6) edge past the Wolves, 111-107.
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