Los Angeles Clippers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Expert Pick – March 3, 2024

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS VS. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES EXPERT PICK – MARCH 3, 2024 — Greetings and salutations, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Godzilla Wins. One of our noteworthy games on tap from today’s slate features the Los Angeles Clippers (38-20 SU, 30-28 ATS) taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves (42-18 SU, 30-29-1 ATS).

Here is a look at which team has the edge going into this matchup between two of the top four teams in the Western Conference.

Tipoff

When: Sunday, March 3, 2024

Time: 3:30 PM ET

Where: Target Center

Location: Minneapolis, MN

TV: Bally Sports Network and KTLA

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves — Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

How Will The Clippers Fare Without Russell Westbrook Down The Stretch?

 Los Angeles Clippers Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 117.8 PPG – 9^TH
• Offensive Efficiency: 120.1 points per 100 possessions – 4^TH
• Scoring Defense: 112.9 PPG – 10^TH                
• Defensive Efficiency: 115.1 points per 100 possessions – 14^TH

The Clippers have the fourth-best record in the Western Conference, but they are just 5-5 across their last 10 games. The good news is they recently snapped a two-game skid with a 140-115 against the Washington Wizards on Friday night.

James Harden spearheaded the Clippers’ offense, scoring a team-high 28 points along with eight assists, and four rebounds. He also shot an efficient 9-for-13 from the field and connected on six of his nine attempts from beyond the arc.

Kawhi Leonard finished with 27 points, nine boards, and four dimes. Paul George contributed 22 points and six rebounds for a Clippers team that shot 57.4 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from 3-point range.

This contest will be the first game without Russell Westbrook, who will be out indefinitely with a fractured hand. In 58 appearances,  the veteran point  guard had compiled averages of 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game.

“Just feel bad for Russ right now,” Clippers coach Ty Lue said, via CBS Sports. “You never want to see a player get hurt. We don’t know what timetable, don’t know if he needs surgery or anything yet. So (we’re) just trying to figure it out.”

Unfortunately, the Clippers’ first game without Westbrook will be against one of the top teams in the association.

Can The Timberwolves Get Off to A Good Start?

Minnesota Timberwolves Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 113.7 PPG – 19^TH
• Offensive Efficiency: 115.7 points per 100 possessions – 17^TH    
• Scoring Defense: 106.6 PPG – 1^ST
• Defensive Efficiency: 108.6 points per 100 possessions – 1^ST

Meanwhile, the Timberwolves currently sit atop the Western Conference and have posted seven wins across their last 10 decisions. However, Minnesota’s recent three-game winning streak was snapped with an overtime 124-120 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.

Jaden McDaniels scored a team-high 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Karl Anthony-Towns finished with 19 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Rudy Gobert contributed 16 points while hauling in 16 rebounds. The Timberwolves have gotten off to slow starts in each of their last two outings.

They fell behind 14-0 against the Grizzlies and trailed the Kings by a 20-6 margin. Needless to say, Minnesota needs to turn that trend around against a Clippers team that has been playing very well.

Now that we have provided the backdrop for this matchup, let’s look at the betting trends for both sides.

The Spread

The Timberwolves opened as a consensus 4.5-point favorite. At the time of this writing, the line has dipped to 1.5 points for the home team (per OddShark.com). Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season.

• The Clippers are 1-4 ATS in their last five contests.
• Los Angeles is just 1-6 ATS in its last seven matchups against the Timberwolves.
• The Clippers are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games against Western Conference opponents.
• In its last six games against Northwest Division teams, Los Angeles is 1-5 against the spread.
• The Timberwolves are 1-4 ATS in their last five outings.
• Minnesota is 2-5 ATS in their last seven games at the Target Center.
• The Timberwolves are 5-1 against the spread the last six times they played on a Sunday.

Neither team has played well against the spread lately, making this a tough one to call. However, considering that Anthony Edwards’ status is uncertain, going with the road team to cover a small spread could be the smart move here.

Prediction: Los Angeles Clippers (+1.5)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 219.5 points. The line has slightly climbed to 220 points (per Pre-Game.com). Here is why going with the “over” is the smart choice.

• The total has gone OVER nine times in the Clippers’ last 12 road contests against Minnesota.
• In Los Angeles’ last six March games, the OVER total cashed in five times.
• The total has gone OVER six times in Minnesota’s last nine March games.
• Offensively, the two teams average a combined 231.5 points per contest. That is 11.5 points higher than the projected points total for this matchup.
• From a defensive standpoint, the two teams are allowing 219.5 points per game, which is slightly less than the projected over/under total for this matchup.

Prediction: OVER 220 points

Player Prop Bet

With Anthony Edwards’ uncertain status, the key player to watch for the home team is Karl Anthony-Towns. He currently has -115 odds of scoring more than 20.5 points and -115 odds of finishing with less than 20.5 points.

Let’s take a close look to see how his numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup.

• Anthony-Towns has suited up against the Clippers 24 times in his career. In those contests, he is averaging 21.5 points per game.
• On the season, Anthony-Towns is averaging 22.3 points per outing.
• In 28 home contests, he is averaging 21.4 points per game.

• Anthony-Towns has played against Western Conference teams 36 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 20.7 points per outing.
• In 10 matchups against Northwest Division opponents, Anthony-Towns is averaging 20.6 points per game.
• Over his last 10 outings, KAT is averaging 20.8 points per contest, exceeding the points total for this matchup five times during that stretch.

Prediction: Karl Anthony-Towns OVER 20.5 points