New Orleans Pelicans vs Minnesota Timberwolves Betting Pick & Prediction 3/19/25
At 8:00 ET, the Timberwolves (-737) will host the Pelicans (+513) in a Western Conference matchup. Minnesota is currently favored by 12.5 points, and the over/under line is set at 228.5.
Despite being 14th in the West, New Orleans has won three straight games. The Timberwolves are 7th in the conference and have a record of 40-30.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES BETTING PICK
The Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves -12.5
This game will be played at Target Center at 8:00 ET on Wednesday, March 19th.
WHY BET THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 131-112 in favor of the Timberwolves.
- Our projections have Anthony Edwards finishing with 26 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
- From the field, we have the Timberwolves finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.1% and knocking down 18 threes.
Is a Road Win Possible for New Orleans?
The Pelicans dropped to 18-51 on the season after a 127-81 home loss to the Pistons on Monday, March 17th. New Orleans, who entered the game as +6.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The combined score of 208 points fell well short of the 235.5-point over/under line.
New Orleans fell behind early, trailing 35-13 after the 1st quarter and 63-32 at halftime. They showed some life in the 3rd quarter, outscoring Detroit 31-25, but the Pistons responded with a 10-0 run to put the game away, and New Orleans was outscored 39-18 in the 4th quarter.
In their 127-81 loss to the Pistons, the Pelicans struggled offensively, shooting just 32.6% from the field and hitting only 5 threes at a 15.6% clip. Zion Williamson was the lone bright spot, scoring 30 points and grabbing 6 rebounds, shooting 50% from the floor.
Yves Missi added 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Kelly Olynyk chipped in 9 points. Williamson did most of his damage in the 3rd quarter, scoring 16 of his 30 points in that period.
Defensively, the Pelicans struggled against the Pistons, giving up 127 points on 54% shooting. Detroit scored 35 points in the 1st quarter and 39 in the 4th. The Pelicans allowed 13 threes on 37% shooting.
New Orleans sent Detroit to the line 29 times, with the Pistons hitting 22 free throws. The Pelicans recorded 7 steals and 6 blocks but gave up 11 offensive rebounds.
Can the Timberwolves Please their Home Crowd?
The Timberwolves fell to 40-30 on the season following a 130-120 home loss to the Pacers on Monday. Minnesota, who entered the game as -10.5 point favorites, not only lost straight up but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game ended at 262, well over the pre-game line of 226.5.
After a 30-30 tie in the 1st quarter, the Pacers went on a 14-0 run, stretching their lead from 39-38 to 53-38. Minnesota responded with a strong 3rd quarter, outscoring Indiana 41-29, but couldn’t complete the comeback, as they were trailing 89-87 going into the 4th quarter and were outscored 30-28 in the final period.
Anthony Edwards poured in 38 points for the Timberwolves in their 130-130 loss to the Pacers, scoring 15 in the 3rd quarter and 8 more in overtime. He shot 37.5% from the field, while the team connected on 45.4% overall and 31% from beyond the arc, hitting 13 threes.
Naz Reid added 21 points, with 7 coming in both the 1st and 2nd quarters, and Donte DiVincenzo contributed 19 points, making 5 threes at 45.5%. DiVincenzo also scored 11 points in the 3rd quarter.
Defensively, the Timberwolves couldn’t slow down the Pacers, who scored 130 points on Monday. Minnesota allowed 30 points in both the 1st and 2nd quarters, but they tightened up a bit in the 3rd and 4th, giving up 29 and 28 points, respectively.
The Timberwolves struggled to defend the three-point line, where the Pacers hit 17 threes at a 45% clip. Minnesota also sent Indiana to the free-throw line 21 times, where they made 17. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 7 blocks.