DALLAS MAVERICKS VS. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — January 22, 2025

DALLAS MAVERICKS VS. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES EXPERT PICK AND PREDICTIONS — January 22, 2025 — Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Godzilla Wins. One of the games on tap from today’s slate features the Dallas Mavericks (23-20 SU, 20-22-1 ATS) hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves (22-21 SU, 17-26 ATS).

Here is a look at which squad has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Tipoff

When: Wednesday, January 22, 2025 @ 7:30 PM ET

Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

TV: ESPN, KFAA, and FDSN

Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves — Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Mavericks Hope To Bounce Back From Loss Against Hornets

After consecutive victories over the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers, the Mavericks have dropped four of their last five contests, including a  110-105 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night. Kyrie Irving and Daniel Gafford had exceptional outings but didn’t get much help. Irving finished with a team-high 33 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three steals. He also converted three of his eight attempts from beyond the arc.

Daniel Gafford scored 31 points, pulled down 15 boards, and handed out three assists. By the way, he also turned away seven shots at the other end of the court. P.J. Washington, the only other player to reach double figures, contributed 13 points and nine rebounds. The game was close throughout and down the stretch as well. Unfortunately, the Mavericks — who shot 43.2 percent from the field and 18.8 percent from 3-point range — managed only five points during the game’s final six minutes. That critical stretch enabled the team with the fifth-worst record in the league to secure its 11th win of the season.

Timberwolves Look To Snap Two-Game Slide

Meanwhile, after an impressive 116-99 victory over the New York Knicks last Friday, the Timberwolves came up short against the Cleveland Cavaliers (124-117) and the Memphis Grizzlies (108-106). In the two-point loss against Memphis, Anthony Edwards paced the team’s offense with a game-high 32 points, along with four rebounds and three assists. Edwards was also 13-for-18 from the charity stripe.

Minnesota got 49 points from its bench, headlined by a pair of solid performances from Naz Reid and Rob Dillingham. Reid finished with 29 points and eight rebounds, while Dillingham chipped in with 15 points on 6 of 8 shooting from the floor. Minnesota led by five points heading into the fourth quarter but trailed in the waning moments. With a chance to send the game into overtime, Edwards missed a 3-point shot from 27 feet, enabling the Grizzlies to win their third straight game.

Now that we have set the stage for the Western Conference showdown let’s examine the betting trends for both teams.

Mavericks vs. Timberwolves Spread Analysis

On the heels of their five-point loss to the Hornets, the Mavericks enter this matchup as a two-point underdog (per OddsShark.com). Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season.

• The Mavericks are 1-5 ATS in their last six games.
• Dallas is 2-8 ATS in its previous 10 matchups against Western Conference opponents.
• The Mavericks have covered the spread once in their last five outings against teams in the Northwest Division.
• The Timberwolves are 4-9 ATS in their previous 13 outings.
• Minnesota is 4-1 ATS in its last five road games.
• In their previous seven contests against Western Conference opponents, the Timberwolves are 2-5 against the spread.

Prediction: Minnesota Timberwolves (-2)

Mavericks vs. Timberwolves Over/Under Prediction

The projected scoring total for this matchup is 216.5 points (via OddsShark.com). Let’s see why going with the “under” is the intelligent choice.

• The total has gone UNDER four times in the Mavericks’ last five games.
• The UNDER total is 8-3 in Dallas’s previous 11 home outings.
• The total has gone UNDER five times in the Timberwolves’ last seven road outings against Dallas.

Prediction: UNDER 216.5 points

Mavericks vs. Timberwolves Player Prop Bet

Following his 33-point effort against the Hornets, Irving is the key player to watch for the home team in this contest. He currently has -105 odds of scoring more than 26.5 points and -125 odds of finishing with less than 26.5 points (via DraftKings.com).

Here is a look at how his numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup.

• During the season, Irving is averaging 24.2 points per game.
• In the previous two matchups between these teams, Irving has averaged 37.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per outing on shooting splits of .540/.500/.818.
• Irving has suited up in 16 home games this season. In those contests, he averages 21.2 points per contest.
• Across his last five starts, Irving has put up 26.2 points per game, exceeding the points total for this matchup twice during that stretch.

Prediction: Kyrie Irving OVER 26.5 points