Minnesota hosts Phoenix looking to Keep Playoffs Hopes Alive
As the NCAA Tournament takes the spotlight, the NBA regular season is nearing its end, with only 12 to 15 games left to be played on most teams’ schedule.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are finding that time is running out on their slim hopes of qualifying for the NBA postseason. The Northwest Division Timberwolves are currently sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference playoff chase.
Only the top eight teams qualify. Minnesota is six games behind the eighth place Memphis Grizzlies with 15 games left on their regular season schedule. Minnesota has won 6 of its past 10 games, but Memphis has won 7 of its past 10.
Sunday afternoon Minnesota has a tough test at home when they host the Phoenix Suns. The Timberwolves are 34-33 straight up and 33-34 against the spread. At home, Minnesota is 19-13 on the season.
Phoenix this season is 40-29 SU and 44-24-1 ATS. On the road, the Suns are 16-16.
The Suns come into Sunday’s game on a modest two game winning streak. The Suns have won four of five. The Suns are in 9th place in the race for the playoffs, just one game behind the Grizzlies.
However, Phoenix must play 9 of its final 13 games away from home and are just 8-11 against Western Conference teams on the road. On Friday, the Suns beat Detroit 98-92 behind 23 points from Eric Bledsoe.
Minnesota is looking for one last push to the playoffs but was beaten on Thursday 129-106 against Houston, which hurt their cause. The loss to Houston came a night after the Timberwolves were able to defeat Dallas in overtime.
Minnesota ran out of gas against the up-tempo Rockets. Houston scored 102 point in the final three quarters of the game. Minnesota was paced by the 29 points of Kevin Love and Gorgui Dieng’s 22 points and 21 boards. Dieng has started three consecutive games due to Nikola Pekovic being out with an injured ankle.
Love has been playing MVP caliber basketball for the entire season, but the Timberwolves have struggled with getting support for him at times.
Kevin Martin has averaged 25.5 points in Minnesota’s 6 wins and just 14.3 points in the Timberwolves 4 losses since he returned from an injured thumb. On Thursday, Martin had six points in their loss to Houston.
Love has shot just 37% from the field in 12 career meetings with Phoenix, which is the second lowest percentage he has against any NBA team.
Minnesota has covered the number in just 1 of its past 5 games played at home and in just 1 of its past 6 games played overall.
The UNDER has cashed in each of the past 4 games Minnesota has played teams from the Pacific division.
Head to head the UNDER has cashed in 6 of the past 8 games played in Minnesota. Phoenix has covered 1 of the past 5 games against Minnesota.
The team playing on the road has covered 7 of the past 8 games between Phoenix and Minnesota.
The current line has Minnesota favored at home by 4 points.
Pick: Minnesota 112-107
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