NBA Betting: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Phoenix Suns
by Mike Rose
The Phoenix Suns will look to string back-to-back victories together when they welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves into the US Airways Center for an NBA betting battle on Tuesday night.
The Timberwolves saw their SU losing streak extend to nine in a row their last time out against the Sacramento Kings whom they fell to by a 114-100 final tally as eight-point underdogs. Minnesota has failed to cover each of its L/5 games (0-4-1 ATS).
Phoenix bounced back from a disappointing home defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers by pounding the New Orleans Hornets 120-106 on Sunday. The 14-point victory saw them cover the 9.5-point spread to snap a three-game losing streak against the NBA odds.
Minnesota Timberwolves (14-53, 32-34-1 ATS) vs. Phoenix Suns (41-26, 38-29 ATS)
:
New Jersey Nets +12.5
Oklahoma City Thunder -12.5
Game Total 225
With only 15 games remaining on their 2009-10 NBA schedule, the Timberwolves are simply playing the string out and hoping to secure the top overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft Lottery.
After winning just 24-games last season, Minnesota has gone backwards and doesn’t look as if it’s going to come close to matching last year’s output.
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This club ranks amongst the worst in the league at both ends of the court. C Al Jefferson is by far this team’s MVP leading the team in scoring (17.4 PPG), rebounding (9.4 RPG), FG percentage (49.6%), and blocked shots (1.2 BPG). However, the team ranks 22nd in points scored (97.8 PPG) and 29th in points allowed (106.8 PPG).
When you can’t score and can’t prevent teams from scoring on you, you don’t win many games in this league. That’s exactly the case with the 2009-10 Minnesota Timberwolves, and the main reason why they’ll have almost as many ping pong balls in the hopper as the New Jersey Nets come late June.
After falling to the Lakers for the third time in four tries last week, there’s simply no way they can catch them in the standings now sitting eight-games back.
However, they’re still in the thick of the Western Conference Playoff race currently sitting on the six-line a game in back of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 5th seed. Steve Nash and company must continue to churn out victories with both the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers breathing down their necks.
If the offense continues to scorch the nets like it did vs. the Hornets, the Suns are a surefire lock to qualify for the post-season. It converted on nearly 58 percent of its shots taken with PF Amare Stoudemire having a monster game scoring 36 points and hauling down 12 rebounds. The defense allowed 100+ for the fifth straight game, but that’s something NBA bettors have gotten used to with the Suns defense ranking 28th overall (106 PPG).
NBA Insider Betting Tip: The Suns have flat out dominated the recent series with the Timberwolves going 4-1 SU & 3-2 ATS the L/2 seasons. They’re also a $$$-making 12-1 SU & 11-2 ATS vs. the L/11 poor defensive teams they’ve opposed (>99+ PPG allowed).
They already pounded Minnesota on the road this season, but the Wolves hung tough in their most recent trip to the desert falling 120-112 as 13-point underdogs. The game went over the ‘total’ and Minny covered the NBA betting line.
With the visitors 4-1-1 ATS the L/6 times they took on a +.600 opponent, and Phoenix more than likely looking ahead to their revenge spot with Utah on deck, look for the Timberwolves to hang in this spot once again.
