Suns vs Timberwolves Game 1 Prediction & Best Bets: Will Minnesota Maintain Homecourt Advantage?

Each of the previous two seasons, the Minnesota Timberwolves reached the NBA playoffs but failed to make it past the first round. Will the third straight time be the charm? This afternoon’s series opener with the Phoenix Suns (3:30 pm ET, ESPN) will be pivotal to their hopes to advance.

In 2004, the Timberwolves advanced past the first round of the NBA playoffs for the first and only time in franchise history. They didn’t return to the playoffs until 2018 and fell in the first round that year and each of the past two years.

But after finishing with the second-most wins in franchise history and landing a top-three seed, Minnesota (56-26) will be eyeing an extended stay in the postseason.

However, they have one of the tougher draws possible. The Suns (49-33) only locked up a guaranteed playoff spot on the final day of the regular season, but with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal in their ranks, this is not a team to overlook or underestimate.

In fact, the Suns (-135 at BetOnline) are favored to win the series, even though the Timberwolves (+115) have homecourt advantage.

Phoenix Suns vs Minnesota Timberwolves Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on today’s NBA playoff action.

Spread

• Phoenix Suns +2 (-106)
• Minnesota Timberwolves -2 (-114)

Over/Under

• Over 214.5 (-108)
• Under 214.5 (-112)

Moneyline

• Phoenix Suns +115
• Minnesota Timberwolves -135

Get free and reliable moneyline, spread, and over/under consensus picks for every NBA matchup, including this one, from our NBA picks page.

Phoenix Suns vs Minnesota Timberwolves Prediction and Best Bets

While the Timberwolves are the higher seed in this matchup, the pressure is undoubtedly more on the Suns.

Big things were expected of their reconstructed Big Three of Durant, Booker, and Beal. But thanks to injuries and inconsistency, Phoenix had to finish strong to avoid the play-in.

They did just that, winning 14 of their last 21 games, including each of their last three, to fend off the Pelicans, who finished with the same record but lost out on the tiebreaker.

Can they take that form into the postseason? Or is another disappointing finish ahead? This is a fairly favorable draw, given the Timberwolves’ overall lack of playoff success and experience.

However, Minnesota has been a tough team to beat at home, even though they are 18-21-2 ATS at the Target Center this season, including 14-21-2 ATS as a home favorite.

They did fall to the Suns in their regular season finale, which helped Phoenix lock up the #6 seed and dropped the Timberwolves to the #3 seed. But prior to last Sunday’s 125-106 loss, Minnesota had won seven of eight at home, and their 30 home wins are fifth in the league behind Boston (37), Denver (33), Oklahoma City (33), and Milwaukee (31).

It is worth noting that Suns are 8-7 SU and 9-6 ATS as a road underdog this season, numbers that put them near the top of the league. So, they will be expecting to come away with the win this afternoon.

That said, I like what the Timberwolves have done this season, and with the pressure less on them than on the Suns, I don’t think nerves will come into play, at least not yet.

Suns vs Timberwolves Prediction: Timberwolves to win and cover

Suns vs Timberwolves Best Bets: Timberwolves -2 & Suns/Timberwolves over 214.5

Other NBA Playoffs Betting Information

Where to Bet on the NBA Playoffs

Many of the top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of NBA betting odds throughout the season.

In addition to being able to bet on 2024 NBA championship odds, you can make daily NBA picks on odds for every game all season long, including NBA playoffs odds.

Also, you can bet on the All-Star Game, NBA Draft odds, and the major awards like NBA MVP, NBA Rookie of the Year, and more at most reputable sports betting sites.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for NBA betting. In addition to BetOnline, here are several books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (review)
• BetUS (review)
• Bookmaker (review)
• Bovada (review)
• MyBookie (review)
• Sportsbetting.ag (review)

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Bovada is one of the best sports betting sites for NBA player props, as they offer a plethora of prop markets for every game on the schedule. They also have a hefty welcome bonus for cryptocurrency users (75% up to $750).

Interested in Learning More About NBA Betting?

Looking to learn more about the ins and outs of betting on the NBA? Check out our NBA betting guide. Also, if you’d like to learn more about NBA player prop bets, check out our NBA player props guide.

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