T-Wolves vs Suns Picks, Predictions & Odds (Nov. 1)
By Eric Rosales in NBA Basketball
Published:
- The Phoenix Suns are 5.5-point home favorites over the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday night
- Phoenix has win four games in a row
- Read below for the Timberwolves vs Suns preview, with odds and predictions
Another year, another power start from the Phoenix Suns.
They’ll be looking for their fifth straight win when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday night.
The Wolves were one of the big buyers in the offseason, doling out a bevy of draft picks to acquire Rudy Gobert, in the hopes of moving up to a Phoenix-type level of competition.
They’ll certainly have a size advantage in this one, as Phoenix will be without big man Deandre Ayton.
It all gets underway at 10pm ET from the Footprint Center, in a game that can be seen live on TNT.
Timberwolves vs Suns Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +5.5 (-113) | +165 | Ov 228.5 (-108) |
| Phoenix Suns | -5.5 (-108) | -200 | Un 228.5 (-113) |
Odds as of Nov 1 at Barstool Sportsbook.Â
The NBA odds have the Suns as 5.5-point home favorites, with the total set at 228.5.
Phoenix is a perfect 4-0 at home this season. Last year, they led the NBA with a 32-9 home mark.
Minnesota Betting Analysis
So far, it’s been a mixed bag for the Minnesota Timberwolves to start the season. Their modest 2-game win streak came to a halt Sunday in San Antonio, dropping a 107-98 decision to the Spurs.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, while Anthony Edwards added 18 points and six assists.
Rudy Gobert lob dunk, assisted by Karl-Anthony Towns out of the Horns ATO action
Coach Finch may need to implement more structured play-calls like this one to buoy the Wolves offense through this early-season adjustment period pic.twitter.com/GcCv4J1eAK
— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) October 31, 2022
Rudy Gobert finished with nine points and 12 rebounds. He’s led Minny in rebounding in six of their first seven games, and already has two 20-rebound games this season.
We’re still trying to figure out how good this new-look ‘Wolves roster can yet be. The Gobert addition has helped Minny climb to the 6th-best defensive rating in the NBA and third in opponent field-goal percentage (43%), but they are just 15th in points allowed at 113.1 points per game.
Rudy Gobert remarkable rotation + block pic.twitter.com/D3TMuhqmxB
— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) October 30, 2022
The ‘Wolves are third in rebounding, though they’re outside the top-10 in offensive boards.
The results are mixed offensively as well, as Minnesota is 23rd in offensive rating, and 15th in scoring at 115.1 points per game. They have struggled from three-point range to start the year, shooting just 31.8% on better than 34 attempts per night. That’s the fifth-worst mark in the league.
Phoenix Betting Analysis
The Suns are streaking after they whipped the Houston Rockets 124-109 for their fourth straight win.
Devin Booker led the way with 30 points and six assists, one of seven Sens to score in double digits. Chris Paul finished with 10 points and 15 assists, while Cam Johnson had 19 points and seven rebounds.
A 30-piece to go along with 26 candles 🎂
RT to wish @DevinBook a Happy Birthday! pic.twitter.com/llb4BwbNLQ
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 31, 2022
Phoenix got the win without starting center Ayton, who injured his left ankle in the first quarter of last game against New Orleans and will be out Tuesday.
That means both Bismack Biyombo and rookie Jock Landale will have to lead the Suns’ defense against the talented and jumbo-sized Towns-Gobert frontcourt.
Jock Landale said NO 🚫pic.twitter.com/WByRtIXks5
— Suns Nation (@SunsNationCP) October 29, 2022
At 5-1, Phoenix is the only team in the NBA to rank top-5 in both scoring offense (T-1st, 118.7 points per game) and defense (3rd, 106.3 points per game).
They are the league leaders in field goal shooting, and second to the Spurs in assists at just under 30 a game, but the Suns haven’t shot it great from distance, ranking 19th with a 34.7% clip.
Timberwolves vs Suns Prediction
Size could matter in this one, as not only is Ayton out, but versatile and steady wing Jae Crowder is still not with the team after an offseason where he requested a trade.
Phoenix has taken care of business as the home favorite early in the year, running a 3-1 mark against the spread, 4-2 ATS for the season.
SLAM JOHNSON 💪 pic.twitter.com/iHkL1KLasV
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 31, 2022
Minnesota is 3-4 ATS, but there’s some quirkiness to the start of their year, as they’ve played the OKC Thunder twice and the Spurs three times in the last four games. Their only win other than OKC and San Antonio? The Lakers.
This is easily Minnesota’s best opponent this season, and Phoenix should be able to puncture a defense still trying to figure things out.
The Suns have been generating a ton of offense, scoring at least 124 points in the last three games. Look for them to keep up that pace.
Pick:
- Suns -5.5 (-108); 1 unit to win 0.93 units
- NBA Betting Record: 4-3 ATS, 1-0 ML, +1.12 units
Sports Writer & Editor
Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.
