After a mandatory day of rest for all teams, the Phoenix Suns (7-3) continue their four-game road trip against the Minnesota Timberwolves (5-6) in one of the best games on Wednesday’s NBA schedule.
The Suns and Timberwolves entered the season with high expectations though both quads are still trying to figure things out due to offseason roster decisions.
The Suns and the Wolves are coming off a loss on Monday.Phoenix and Minnesota are meeting for the second this season.
The Suns defeated the Timberwolves 116-107 last Monday in Phoenix behind a massive game from Cameron Johnson, who tossed in a season-high 29 points as he made 7 of 11 shots from beyond the arc and 10 of 17 overall.
The Suns knocked down 17 treys for the game. Tipoff for the November 9 contest is slated for 8:00 p.m. (ET) at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN. Let’s look at the best Suns vs. Timberwolves’ prediction of the night.
Phoenix Suns vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Matchup Infomation
- Date and Time: November 9, 2022, 8:00 p.m.
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
- Venue: Target Center
- How to watch: Bally Sports Network
Phoenix Suns
Phoenix has recently experienced its first real adversity of the season, with a couple of starters picking up injuries, and the Suns have dropped two of three.
The Suns are coming off its lowest-point total and fewest 3-pointers in their 100-88 loss at Philadelphia on Monday.
Phoenix held Philadelphia to 38.8% shooting from the field – marking the second straight game that the Suns have held their opponent to under 40% shooting – and forced 15 turnovers.
But they were outscored 12-6 from the 3-point line and 26-to-18 from the charity stripe.
Suns at the Standings
Still, the Suns standings are second-best in the Western Conference conference at 7-3. one game behind the Utah Jazz.
The Suns have spent most of their time in Phoenix over the first three weeks and are 1-2 on the road.
Phoenix plays at a methodical pace and is one of the most efficient offensive teams in the NBA, despite being only an average shooting team, as the Suns don’t turn over the ball a ton.
Suns’ Defense
Defensively, the Suns are one of the best in the league, per NBA team stats. Devin Booker has developed into one of the best guards in the league and leads the team with 27.1 points with a shooting slash line of .485/.362/.875.
Mikal Bridges is also off to a strong start, while Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul have struggled with their shot.
Key Injuries
The Suns list five players on the injury report, with Johnson (out) and Paul (questionable) being the most important.
Johnson had done an excellent job since stepping into the starting lineup before tearing his meniscus in the first quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.
Meanwhile, Paul suffered a heel injury during Monday’s loss and did not return after leaving the game in the second quarter.
Betting trends to know
Phoenix is 6-4 against the spread. The Suns are 1-2 against the spread on the road. The under has hit in seven of their 10 games this season, including in each of the last four games and all three of their road games.
The Suns are 1-2 ATS in their last three games. They have been a favorite in every game this year.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves have not found any consistency as they are still trying to develop chemistry and offensive rhythm, with Rudy Gobert manning the middle.
The Wolves are going through their roughest patch of the season, dropping four of their last five contests, including a 120-107 decision to the New York Knicks on Monday.
Minnesota concludes a four-game homestand against Phoenix and is playing at the Target Center for the ninth time this season.
The Timberwolves have lost two of their last three games at the Target Center and are 4-4 at home overall. The Wolves are tied for ninth place in the Western Conference at 5-6.
Timberwolves’ Struggles
Minnesota struggles shooting the ball from the 3-point line, and the Timberwolves sometimes get sloppy with their ball-handling when they pick up the pace. But the Timberwolves team stats are solid on the defensive end and on the glass.
Karl Anthony-Towns and Anthony Edwards have played well offensively and are both scoring over 22 points a game.
Rudy Gobert hasn’t been as efficient as in the past, but he tops the NBA player stats in both offensive and total rebounds per game.
Meanwhile, De’Angelo Russell could have his worst season as a member of the Wolves if he doesn’t start turning things around.
Key Injuries
Gobert is the only player on the Timberwolves’ injury report and has missed the past two games due to health and safety protocols.
Gobert’s status for Wednesday’s game is unknown, but he is considered out indefinitely.
Betting trends to know
Minnesota is 4-7 against the spread, having failed to cover four of their last five contests. The Timberwolves are 4-4 against the spread at home. The Wolves have been the favorite in each game this season.
The under has hit in eight of the Timberwolves’ 11 games this season, including in four of their last five outings. The Timberwolves have gone under the point total in five of their eight contests at the Target Center.
Suns vs. Timberwolves Odds
The Suns are listed as moderate favorites. Top sportsbooks have the Suns favored by 3-4 point favorites. The over/under is set at 225.5 points.
So should you take the favorite Suns or the underdog Timberwolves? After reviewing the analysis and betting odds, it is time to make the best Suns vs Timberwolves prediction.
Suns vs. Timberwolves Betting Picks
This four-game series between the Suns and Timberwolves is one of the most intriguing of all NBA matchups this year, and Game 2 should be as entertaining as the first one.
The Suns are banged up and severely undersized in the frontcourt, especially now that Johnson is out for the foreseeable future.
Johnson and his ability to shoot the ball was a big reason that Phoenix won the first matchup, as he could pull Towns away from the basket.
Torrey Craig is capable of shooting the ball from deep, but he is not even close to being as proficient as Johnson. There is also a chance that Paul doesn’t play, and Gobert does. Take the Timberwolves.
Go Under
Go with the under here, as the total is a tad bit high. Neither offense has been anywhere close to its high-octane version that previous renditions of the team have exhibited, and now the Suns could be without two of their best offensive players due to injury.
Besides, both squads have been pretty good defensively, with each squad ranking in the top 10 in defensive efficiency.
Suns vs. Timberwolves Score Prediction
The final Suns vs Timberwolves prediction is against the spread. Since the moneyline pick is the underdog Timberwolves, getting 3.5 points is an added bonus.
Score Prediction: Timberwolves 113, Suns 106
NBA Pick: Timberwolves + 3.5
If you love sports and want more sports betting information follow us as @InsidersBetDig on Twitter and sign up to our mailing list for free betting picks.
