Winning solves almost anything in professional sports, and the Cleveland Cavaliers have been a great example of that. It was only a few weeks ago that LeBron James was voicing his displeasure with the Cavs’ roster, but the wine and gold have responded by rattling off seven wins in their past nine to re-establish their dominance in the Eastern Conference. Tuesday’s slate of action pits the Cavs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, where sportsbooks opened the young Wolves as 4.5-point home underdogs with a total of 218.5.
- The Cavaliers are 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five games against the Timberwolves.
- The Timberwolves are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games as underdog.
- The Cavaliers are 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games on the road against teams with losing records.
Former Minnesota star Kevin Love will not play in tonight’s game, but that shouldn’t scare off Cavs bettors. Cleveland didn’t have Love in its last meeting with the Timberwolves but still pulled out an impressive 125-97 triumph on February 1.
Andrew Wiggins, who will once again be facing the team that drafted and traded him for Love, is second on the team in scoring at an average of 22.6 points per game. The Canadian has been flourishing without Zach LaVine in the lineup, averaging 27.4 points in five games. Wiggins has scored 20 or more in each of the last 13 contests.
Cavaliers shooting guard Iman Shumpert hasn’t played in the last three games due to a sprained ankle, and he’s listed as questionable to play tonight. Newly signed power forward Derrick Williams will fill in the void in the starting lineup for Love. The former second overall pick in 2011 has totalled 19 points on 5-of-6 shooting in his first two appearances with the club.
Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick
Those looking to pick the visitors as their prediction to cover in this one found the Cleveland Cavaliers listed as -4.5-point favorites earlier at Sportsbook. Meanwhile, the OVER/UNDER total betting line for this game was set at 218.5 at Sportsbook but may have moved since the betting odds opened.
Handicapping models based on recent betting stats and prediction formulas pick a 114-109 win for the Cavaliers. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming NBA matchups here.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Minnesota Timberwolves Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Minnesota Timberwolves sit at 21-34 (23-32 ATS) on the season; in comparison, the Cleveland Cavaliers are currently 37-16 (24-27-2 ATS). Looking to bet on the points scored total? Minnesota is 29-25-1 OU and Cleveland is 31-21-1 OU. This season the Minnesota Timberwolves are 21-34 overall and 23-32 ATS against the number, while the Cleveland Cavaliers are 37-16 and 24-27-2 ATS. As for the totals, Minnesota is 29-25-1 on the OU, and Cleveland is 31-21-1. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Minnesota vs Cleveland injuries news.
The Minnesota Timberwolves sit at No. 15 in the current NBA Power Rankings here at Odds Shark, while the Cleveland Cavaliers are at No. 11 on that betting chart.
Statistical Matchup
When it comes to rebounds, the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers rank No. 9 in the league with 44.21 per game. That compares with Minnesota's No. 25 ranking in that category. The story is different when it comes to three-point shooting where Minnesota is the NBA's No. 28-ranked team at 7.76 per game, while the Cleveland Cavaliers rate No. 2 with 13.04 per contest.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
Denver was victimized for 27 points and 12 assists by LeBron James as the Cavaliers defeated the Nuggets 125-109 in NBA action on Saturday.
Chicago was run off the court by the Timberwolves on Sunday as Minnesota blasted the Bulls 117-89 at Target Center.
Next Betting Matchups
Cleveland home to Indiana, Wednesday, February 15th
Minnesota at Denver, Wednesday, February 15th
