Pro Hoops on Friday and we will see the Minnesota Timberwolves travel to Oklahoma to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder. The game is scheduled for an 8:00 pm (Eastern) start time and will be televised live on ESPN. Currently the Odds for the game have the Oklahoma City favored by 14 points while the total sits at 205.
Analysis: The Oklahoma City Thunder look to snap a season-worst three-game losing skid when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. The Thunder haven’t lost four straight games since the 2008-09 campaign, which was the franchise’s first season in Oklahoma City. The Thunder have won 13 of the past 14 meetings with the Timberwolves, but Minnesota snapped a 12-game skid in the series with a 99-93 victory on Dec. 20. The Thunder beat the Timberwolves on Jan. 9. The Thunder have played well after a loss this season, going 11-3 in those games, and are 17-1 at home versus the Western Conference. They have won seven of the past eight in the OKC. Oklahoma City acquired swingman Ronnie Brewer from the New York Knicks prior to Thursday’s trading deadline and also dealt reserve point guard Eric Maynor to the Portland Trail Blazers. Maynor had lost the backup spot to second-year pro Reggie Jackson, and the move to add Brewer is designed to pump up the bench. Brewer, a seven-year veteran, averaged just 3.6 points in 46 games with the Knicks this season. Starting guard Thabo Sefolosha recorded career highs of 28 points and six 3-pointers in the loss to the Rockets. Point guard Russell Westbrook also had 28 points and forward Kevin Durant had 16 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for his second career triple-double.
Minnesota began play after the All-Star break with a 94-87 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. That made for two wins in three games after a stretch in which the Timberwolves lost 15 of 17 games. Minnesota is 7-18 on the road. Oklahoma City is 23-4 at home after losing to the Miami Heat on Feb. 14. Second-year forward Derrick Williams has put together back-to-back solid games in which he averaged 20.5 points and 12 rebounds. The No. 2 overall pick in 2011 has been slow to make an impact and is receiving substantial playing time now due to the roster being ravaged by injuries. “I’ve been just trying to play more aggressive over the last few weeks, and it’s been working,” Williams said after Wednesday’s victory. “I’ve been finishing around the basket better, a lot better than I have been at the beginning of the season.” Center Nikola Pekovic had 27 points and matched a career high with 18 rebounds against the 76ers. Pekovic had 24 points and 10 rebounds in the December victory over the Thunder.
Pick: Bad spot here for the T-Wolves as the Thunder are off 3 straight losses Minnesota is 4-10-1 ATS their last 15 trips here. The last time these teams met here the T-Wolves lost by 22 points and were without Kevin Love just like they will be tonight. Oklahoma City is 23-4 at home and each of their last 7 home wins have been by 14 points or more. The Thunder average 108.8 ppg at home, while Minnesota averages 94.2 ppg on the road. The T-Wolves just won't come up with enough offense to keep this one close vs an angry Thunder squad tonight. In their last game, which was vs Houston, the Thunder had a late meltdown and Houston stole the game. That won't happen here as OKC will look to have this one won by Halftime. I also sugest a play on the Over in this game as well.
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