Timberwolves vs. Clippers Prediction, Picks for Monday, Feb. 12
Here's everything you need to know about Timberwolves vs. Clippers on Monday, Feb. 12 — our expert prediction and betting picks for today.
The Timberwolves will visit the Clippers on Monday night as they attempt to recover from a slight stumble and finish the first half of the NBA season on a high note. The Clippers have kicked it into full gear over the last couple of weeks and may be the toughest team to beat in the league at the moment.
What can Minnesota do to make this a game?
Let's break down this matchup in our Timberwolves vs. Clippers prediction and pick below.
Timberwolves vs. Clippers Prediction
Pick: Clippers -4.5 (-110)
Timberwolves Defense Slipping
This should theoretically be a captivating matchup between the Timberwolves defense, which sits atop the league in Defensive Efficiency this season, and the Clippers, who have unquestionably the best offense in the last month or so. With that said, Minnesota has taken the slightest step back on defense lately, and this has led to a sketchy run of form and a pair of losses in its last four contests.
The Timberwolves' calling card, for the most part, has been their ability to defend the 3 — allowing just 35.7% of shots to fall from beyond the arc this season. They've ranked fifth or better in every shooting zone, and while they've maintained solid positioning over the last month or so, their 3-point defense has slipped to 15th since the new year at 37.6%.
It's a bit troublesome when you consider that's the area of the floor where Minnesota has allowed the majority of opponents' shot attempts.
On the other end, the Wolves are just 17th in Offensive Rating since the start of January, though they have managed to top their second-ranked 3-point shooting percentage for the season at a blistering 42.3%, according to Cleaning the Glass. With some strong performances in recent games and a clean injury report other than Jaden McDaniels' questionable tag, that shooting form should have a good chance of continuing here.
Clippers Back Healthy & Thriving
The Clippers haven't quite matched their incredible offensive production on the defensive end lately, but they do have the fourth-best 3-point defense in the NBA. They haven't seen too much of a dip on that end since the start of January, as they are still sitting pretty with a 37.1% opponent field goal percentage.
Offensively, the Clippers have been nothing short of elite. Finally running out Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden in tandem, this team has managed 123.7 points per 100 possessions and shot the 3 at a ridiculous 43.9% clip, according to Cleaning the Glass.
That figure is incredibly impressive when you consider George has either been out of the lineup or incredibly limited in his time on the floor due to a groin injury. Now that George is seemingly back to full health with his soft minutes restriction lifted last time out in a 33-point showing against the Pistons, there are no signs of slowing down for this Clippers offense.
Most importantly here, the Clippers will have a rare clean bill of health entering this one, with nobody popping up on the injury report — and even George, the one persistent question mark, appears to be back to normal.
Timberwolves vs. Clippers Picks, Odds
| Timberwolves Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -105 | 224 -115o / -105u | +160 |
| Clippers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -115 | 224 -115o / -105u | -192 |
For the most part, the Timberwolves have been a trustworthy team to back this season against the spread, but they stand at just 4-6 ATS as road underdogs entering Monday. In road games in general, despite a positive win-loss record, they're just 13-15 ATS.
The Clippers, meanwhile, are a stunning 26-17 ATS when laying points this season and have improved by nearly five points per 100 possessions in home games. With all things seemingly equal from a matchup perspective, these trends are too loud to ignore.
The Timberwolves' recent dip on defense coupled with the Clippers' seemingly flawless offense should ultimately be too much for the Wolves to overcome here on the road. They will unfortunately run into a Clippers team that can match their ability to stop the 3, and I like the Clippers to win the battle on the perimeter.
Pick: Clippers -4.5 or Better (-110)
