Minnesota Timberwolves @ New Orleans Pelicans - January 7, 2025

As the Minnesota Timberwolves prepare to face off against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center, we can expect an intriguing matchup that highlights contrasting team performances and trends. Oddsmakers have opened with Minnesota as -5.5-point favorites, and with a total set at 222.5, it’s clear they anticipate a competitive game.

Let’s break down what each team brings to the table. The Timberwolves come into this contest with a record of 18-17 SU and are struggling against the spread (ATS) with only 13 covers in their last 35 games. However, they have shown some resilience lately, winning four of their last six encounters against New Orleans. Despite their recent victory over the Clippers (108-106), they failed to cover as favorites—a recurring theme for them.

On the other hand, the Pelicans have had a rough season so far, sitting at just 7-29 SU and suffering through a dismal stretch where they’ve lost 20 of their last 23 games. They did manage to secure a win against Washington (110-98) recently but remain inconsistent overall. Notably, New Orleans has been unable to find success at home lately, losing seven out of their last eight contests there.

When examining offensive stats per game, Minnesota edges out New Orleans slightly in points scored—averaging around 109.2 compared to the Pelicans’ 107.4—but it’s worth noting that both teams struggle offensively relative to league averages. The Timberwolves shoot nearly 46% from the field and boast a respectable three-point shooting percentage of about 37.7%. In contrast, New Orleans lags behind with just over 44% shooting from the field and struggles significantly from beyond the arc at approximately 33.7%.

Defensively, both teams show weaknesses that could impact this matchup significantly; however, Minnesota does hold an edge in rebounding—grabbing about 42.8 boards per game compared to New Orleans’ average of roughly 42.4 rebounds per game.

The key trends also favor Minnesota heading into this matchup: they are currently on a five-game ATS losing streak but maintain historical success against New Orleans when playing them head-to-head (4-2 SU in their last six meetings). With both teams showing tendencies toward lower-scoring games recently—the total has gone UNDER in several matchups for both sides—we might expect another low-scoring affair tonight.

Given these insights and current form for both squads, my prediction is that Minnesota will not only win but also cover the spread while keeping the total score under expectations—perhaps reflecting how both offenses may continue struggling despite facing one another’s defenses.

In summary: I predict that tonight’s clash will see Minnesota take home a victory while covering -5.5 points; additionally, I foresee an outcome that stays beneath the set total of 222.5 points based on recent scoring trends from both teams.