Minnesota Timberwolves vs New Orleans Pelicans Predictions

Minnesota’s injuries matter at this price

Minnesota is a 4.5-point road favorite and -184 on the moneyline despite missing Anthony Edwards with a right knee injury and Donte DiVincenzo with a right Achilles injury. The New Orleans Pelicans / NBA.com injury report also lists Terrence Shannon Jr. as questionable with a left hip contusion. Those absences make a steep price on the road less appealing.

The same report lists Minnesota at 6-3 and New Orleans at 4-4. The Timberwolves are the more likely winner based on the SPF odds, but that doesn’t make either -184 or -4.5 a worthwhile wager.

New Orleans enters with momentum

New Orleans has won four straight after beating Utah 120-113 in overtime on November 4. Zion Williamson scored 23 points in that victory. The Pelicans will be without Yves Missi, while Trey Murphy III is probable with bilateral patella tendinopathy.

Wise Guy Team, a betting-splits site, reported that 88% of DraftKings moneyline tickets backed Minnesota, while 72% of the book’s spread handle was on New Orleans. Those book-specific figures don’t establish a market-wide position, but they show that the popular moneyline side wasn’t drawing the larger share of spread money.

Betting verdict

Minnesota is the low-confidence straight-up pick, but the available evidence doesn’t justify laying -184 or 4.5 points. With the starters unconfirmed and no line-movement information available, the betting lean is Pass.