Pelicans vs Timberwolves Picks & Best Bets for Summer League (July 10)

• The NBA Summer League in Las Vegas begins on Thursday, July 10
• The Pelicans and Timberwolves tip off the 2025 NBA Summer League today
• Keep reading for my Pelicans vs Timberwolves picks and best bets for today’s Summer League action

The 2025 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas starts today with the New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves tipping off at 3:30 pm ET. The Timberwolves are 5.5-point favorites in this game, and the O/U is set at 179.5. Minnesota has the third-best odds to win the NBA Summer League Championship at +800, while the Pelicans are a +3500 longshot.

The Timberwolves will be led by Terrence Shannon Jr, who averaged 36.5 points per game in the G League last season. Shannon went on to get minutes against the Thunder in the Western Conference finals and averaged 9.3 points per game.

New Orleans has some excitement after the NBA Draft. The Pelicans drafted Jeremiah Fears seventh overall, then traded back up to 13 to select Derik Queen. It will be interesting to see how these two talented playmakers gel and develop before the season.

See below for my Pelicans vs Timberwolves best bets for July 10.

Pelicans vs Timberwolves Picks

Odds as of 10:00 am ET, July 10. Check out SBD’s list of the top NBA betting apps for Summer League.

Pelicans vs Timberwolves Pick #1: Timberwolves -5.5 (-105)

I am predicting that the Timberwolves will cover the spread in the first game of the Summer League in Las Vegas. The spread in this game moved from Timberwolves -4.5 to -5.5, and I agree with the line move.

The Timberwolves enter this game with more experience on their roster than the Pelicans. Second-year guard Terrence Shannon Jr scored double-digits in two Western Conference Finals games against the Thunder’s league-best defense. Rob Dillingham, last year’s #8 overall pick, will also be more involved this season. After having a full season in the NBA, Dillingham has a great opportunity to take the next step in Summer League.

New Orleans, on the other hand, has a lot of question marks on their roster. The rookie duo of the Fears and Queen should be fun to watch, but this will be their first game played together, so it could take some time to get in sync.

Yves Missi is also playing in the Summer League after averaging 9.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game for the Pelicans last season. The Pelicans have a talented roster, but I trust the scoring on Minnesota in this first game.

Shannon Jr. averaged 9.3 points per game in four games played in the Western Conference Finals against the #1 defense in the NBA. He faced Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, and Jalen Williams on the Thunder in high-impact games. He has confidence heading into the summer and has an opportunity to truly take over these games against Summer League rosters. He is a downhill scorer who can shoot from all over the court.

Then, Dillingham is another guard who can shoot from all over. Those two in the backcourt should make for some exciting moments in the first game of the Summer League.

It will not just be those two for Minnesota. This is a deep roster with players that have NBA experience or are NBA-ready. Minnesota should be able to score at will and win by at least six points against the Pelicans in Las Vegas.

Pelicans vs Timberwolves Pick #2: Terrence Shannon Jr. 20+ Points (+140)

Terrence Shannon Jr. averaged 36.5 points in four games in the G League last year then provided value for the Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals against the Thunder. He should have no problem scoring at least 20 points against the Pelicans. I love getting plus-money on this prop.

Coach Kevin Hanson expects Shannon Jr. to be the leading scorer for them this Summer League. Back in February, when Shannon Jr. joined the Timberwolves due to injuries, he went on a three-game stretch where he put up 59 points against the Thunder, Lakers, and Jazz. All of those games were on the road too.

He is a dynamic scorer who is great at getting to his left-hand and driving to the rim. He can also pull up and shoot well from behind the arc. In three Summer League games last year, he averaged 17.7 points per game. He is more confident heading into this year with NBA experience under his belt, and the offense will flow through him.

He is expected to be a key rotational piece for the Timberwolves next season, so it will be great to see him play against Summer League competition. Bet on Shannon Jr. to score at least 20 points in his first Summer League game of 2025.