Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Odds, Picks & Predictions - Game 4
A pair of Northwest Division squads continue their first-round series with a clash in the Twin Cities as the Denver Nuggets take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of their best-of-seven series Saturday night and we break down the Nuggets vs. Timberwolves matchup here. These teams opened their first-round series in Denver Saturday afternoon with the Nuggets picking up a 116-105 home victory. They covered the line as a seven-point favorite in that contest. Minnesota evened the series with a 119-114 road win Monday, winning outright as a 7.5-point underdog. In Game 3, Minnesota stifled Denver, picking up a 113-96 win Thursday night at home. They easily covered the 1.5-point line in the contest.
In the all-time playoff history between the teams, Minnesota has taken two of the three playoff series previously. Their win in Game 3 gave them an 11-9 advantage in head-to-head playoff victories. Let’s break down this Nuggets vs. Timberwolves matchup.
Nuggets Try to Even Series on the Road
Denver had a chance to regain home court advantage in Game 3 but was completely flummoxed on the offensive end by Minnesota. That put the Nuggets in a 2-1 series hole and in need of a win here in order to square things up. In Game 3, Denver never led in the contest, trailing 12-4 midway through the first quarter. The Nuggets never recovered from that point as they shot a paltry 34.2% from the floor. Nikola Jokic led Denver with 27 points and 15 rebounds in the loss. Conversely, he shot just seven of 26 from the floor in the contest.
In the postseason, Denver is 7th in the league in scoring offense with an average of 108.7 points per game this season. The Nuggets are 9th in rebounding by collecting 43.3 boards per contest. They are 9th by dishing out an average of 22.3 assists a night. In addition, Denver stands 13th in scoring defense as they give up an average of 112.3 points a night. Nikola Jokic is tied for the team lead in scoring with 25.3 points, 14.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists a night this season. Jamal Murray (25.3 points, six assists) and Aaron Gordon (12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds) provide secondary scoring punch.
The Nuggets are 14th in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 40.8% from the floor. Denver is tied for 11th as they connect on 11 three-pointers a night. The team is tied for 12th in the league as they knock down 30.3% of their attempts from beyond the arc. However, the Nuggets are 2nd in the league in free throw shooting as they cash in 82.5% of their attempts on the season.
Key Injury Report for Nuggets:
- Guard Peyton Watson (hamstring) is out.
- Forward Aaron Gordon (calf) is questionable.
Minnesota Looking for 3-1 Series Advantage
Minnesota lost Game 1, rallied from 19 down to take Game 2 and took control of the series with a dominant Game 3. As a result, the Timberwolves look to build off that and take a commanding 3-1 series lead here. In Game 3, Minnesota led 25-11 after the opening quarter and subsequently made every possession a battle for Denver en route to the victory. Ayo Dosunmu led six Timberwolves in double figures with 25 points and nine assists off the bench in the win.
In the playoffs, Minnesota is 4th in the league in scoring offense with 112.3 points per game. On the other hand, the Timberwolves stand 1st in the league in rebounding by pulling down 48.3 boards a contest. They are 2nd in assists by handing out 27.3 dimes a contest. Minnesota has been below average on the defensive end of the floor as they are 10th in scoring defense by allowing 108.7 points per game. Anthony Edwards leads the team in scoring as he averages 23 points and eight rebounds per contest. Julius Randle (18.3 points, 7.3 rebounds) is a solid secondary scoring option.
The Timberwolves are 4th in the league in field goal percentage as they hit 47% from the floor. Minnesota is tied for 9th by splashing 11.3 three-pointers a night. They are 9th in three-point shooting by hitting 33.3% from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves are a below average team at the charity stripe. They are just 14th by converting 70% of their attempts on the year.
Key Injury Report for Timberwolves:
- No Key Injuries
New DraftKings Customers: Bet $5+ Get $100 in Bonus Bets Instantly! Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Prediction
These teams split the first two meetings in the series but the Nuggets are lamenting their missed opportunities in Game 2. Denver had Minnesota on the ropes early in the contest but couldn’t close the deal. As a result, that seemed to deflate the Nuggets, who never led in Game 3 Thursday. Consequently, without Gordon, the Nuggets had to roll with a frontcourt featuring Spencer Jones and Cameron Johnson alongside Jokic. By comparison, the results were underwhelming as they combined for 12 points in 52 minutes of action and were a -19 in plus/minus. Until we see Denver return to form and give Jokic some help, you have to fade them. As a result, you have to take Minnesota in this contest for a 3-1 series edge.
Our Prediction: Timberwolves (FanDuel, +105)
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