Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: Picks, Predictions, Odds and Player Props

Ahead of NBA All-Star Weekend, the Oklahoma City Thunder have the chance to cement their place at the top of the West when they head to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves.

Mark Daigneault's Thunder have the best record in the league (44-9) and go into Thursday's clash on a seven-game winning streak.

In contrast, the hosts have lost two on the spin and come into this game off the back of a frustrating home defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves betting picks and predictions

Oklahoma City Thunder -7.5 (-110)

With a week's break following this game, Oklahoma City will know a win puts them in a strong position going into the All-Star event.

The Thunder top the Western Conference with a 44-9 record and look to extend their winning streak to eight games on Thursday, although only one of those wins was on the road.

The confidence the players have built during that run should be key going to the Target Center, where the Timberwolves have a 15-13 record.

OKC has already beaten Minnesota in Oklahoma in December and, with the T-Wolves battling injuries in their camp, it should be another W for the Thunder.

The contrast is also stark in the scoring stats, with the Thunder currently ranked fifth with 118.2 points per game, while the Timberwolves average 111.4.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been the star for the Thunder, with the guard averaging 32.6 points per game on 52.7 percent shooting.

If the hosts are to have any chance, Anthony Edwards needs to have a big game, with the three-time NBA All-Star the only Minnesota player inside the top 45 in the league’s scoring stats.

Edwards, who led the team with 28 points in Wednesday’s defeat to the Bucks, averages 27.5 per game but was overshadowed by SGA last time the T-Wolves and Thunder faced off.

The Timberwolves guard scored 20 in December’s matchup, while Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 40 as the Thunder won 113-105.

SGA, the NBA’s leading points-scorer, also shone the last time these two teams met at the Target Center, scoring 33 points in a 102-97 success for OKC last season.

The hosts will again be without Mike Conley, who misses his third straight game with a dislocated finger, and Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo will also be sidelined.

The Thunder were missing both Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace in the win over Miami, but the pair could feature on Thursday, and Alex Caruso will be a game-time decision. Regardless, the Thunder should be able to win and cover the spread thanks to their depth.

Rudy Gobert Over 10.5 Rebounds (-130)

At the age of 32, Rudy Gobert has seen most things in the NBA and his experience can still prove key for the Timberwolves.

The Frenchman is in the top 10 for rebounds this season, averaging 10.4 per game, and recorded seven when the two teams met in December.

When Minnesota beat the Thunder on their home court last term, Gobert played a big role in that success, grabbing 18 rebounds as Chris Finch's men won 107-101.

Under 222.5 Total Points (-110)

The points have not been flowing for Minnesota in recent weeks, scoring 114 or less in five of their last seven games.

They have also struggled around the paint in previous matchups against the Thunder. In the December matchup between these teams, the T-Wolves lost the points in the paint battle by a 46-38 score in a game that ended 113-105 in favor of OKC.

It's worth noting that the 222.5 target has only been hit once in the last five meetings between these two teams.

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Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves odds

Oklahoma City Thunder	-330 ML
Minnesota Timberwolves	+265 ML
Spread	OKC Thunder -8.5
Total Points	O/U 222.0

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves player props

Player Points

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC Thunder)	O/U 31.5
Jalen Williams (OKC Thunder)	O/U 19.5
Chet Holmgren (OKC Thunder)	O/U 13.5
Anthony Edwards (MIN Timberwolves)	O/U 29.5
Naz Reid (MIN Timberwolves)	O/U 17.5
Rudy Gobert (MIN Timberwolves)	O/U 10.5

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.