The Los Angeles Clippers (24-27) and Minnesota Timberwolves (32-21) will face off in the NBA on Sunday afternoon. Tipoff is set for 3:00 p.m. ET from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The game will broadcast live on ESPN.
The Timberwolves are 8.5-point favorites over the Clippers on the spread (Timberwolves -8.5), with the over/under set at 222.5 total points. Minnesota is a -325 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Los Angeles is +260 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Clippers vs. Timberwolves predictions and NBA picks for Sunday, February 8.
Clippers vs Timberwolves Prediction, Picks
- Clippers vs Timberwolves pick: Brook Lopez Over 9.5 Points (-125)
My Timberwolves vs Clippers best bet is on Brook Lopez to score over 9.5 points in this game. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Clippers vs Timberwolves Odds
| Clippers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+8.5 -110 | 222.5 -112o / -108u | +260 |
| Timberwolves Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-8.5 -110 | 222.5 -112o / -108u | -325 |
Clippers vs Timberwolves NBA Preview
It wouldn't be a stretch to say that Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard was somewhat surprised about his team's decision to part ways with veterans James Harden and Ivica Zubac ahead of the trade deadline.
During a recent interview with reporters, Leonard intimated the team was just starting to play well following a 13-23 start to the campaign.
"It's a complete turnaround from what I thought we could potentially do," Leonard said. "Not saying we were contenders, but we thought we could make some noise or mess someone's season up. Now the tides changed."
Los Angeles went on a 10-4 run heading into Friday's matchup against the Kings and still won (114-111) despite not having Harden and Zubac available.
It's worth noting that the Clippers will likely remain shorthanded, with Darius Garland, Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson all expected to miss Sunday's visit to Minnesota.
Garland is currently sidelined with a toe injury. At the same time, Mathurin and Jackson will have some extra time to take care of personal matters before joining up with their new teammates.
If we turn to the Timberwolves, they were also busy at the deadline, landing Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips in exchange for Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and four second-round draft picks. Dillingham and Miller found themselves outside the Timberwolves' rotation, with both players averaging less than 10 minutes per game when called on.
Dosunmu looks like a plug-and-play player, averaging 15 points with the Bulls despite starting only 10 of 45 games.
Per StatMuse, Dosunmu now joins his new teammate Jaden McDaniels as the only two players in the league currently averaging 15 points while shooting 45% from beyond the arc.
Unlike Mathurin and Jackson, Dosunmu's status is available to feature against the Clippers.
Minnesota is coming off a disappointing 119-115 home defeat to New Orleans in a game in which Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert chastised his teammates for showing a lack of professionalism and commitment.
"Just no effort," Gobert said. "We've seen that many, many times this year, the last few years, since I've been here. We always know it's coming. When it comes, there's no sense of urgency, no accountability. If the players can't police themselves, then the coaches must do it."
While this would seem like an optimal spot to back Minnesota to bounce back, there are legitimate concerns about this team's maturity, especially as a heavy favorite laying -8.5 points.
Clippers vs Timberwolves Predictions, Betting Analysis
Under normal conditions, I'd probably be looking to side with the Clippers if they had a full squad available. However, since they're shorthanded, we must acknowledge there's an added risk in backing them as underdogs.
What's clear from the injury report is that the Clippers are lacking depth at the center position following Zubac's departure. Yanic Konan Niederhauser is the only other center on the team, but as a rookie, he's averaging just 8.5 minutes in 31 games.
As a result, Brook Lopez should see more playing time after averaging 17.8 this season. Lopez tied his season-high with 36 minutes against the Kings and will need to pitch in with some points, considering the Clippers lost their second and third-best leading scorers.
Lopez has a scoring prop of 9.5, which he cleared in both games last season against the Timberwolves while logging at least 26 minutes.
Given the Clippers' limited options at center, Lopez has a strong chance to clear this prop line, assuming we see an uptick in his playing time.
Action PRO projects him for 11.28 points this afternoon.
Pick: Brook Lopez Over 9.5 Points (-125, DraftKings)
Spread
I'm not interested in the spread.
Moneyline
I'm not betting on the moneyline this afternoon.
Over/Under
My Clippers vs. Timberwolves betting prediction is Brook Lopez over 9.5 points at -125.
Timberwolves vs Clippers Betting Trends
