Houston (2-1) at Minnesota (1-2)
When: Monday, April 23rd 2018
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: TNT
Opening Odds: Houston -5.5/219
Its been a long time since the Minnesota Timberwolves tasted victory in the NBA’s postseason, but they put forth an inspired effort on Saturday in handing the Houston Rockets a 121-105 thumping and cutting their series advantage in half. The two teams will get back on the Target Center court on Monday night for Game 4 of their best-of-seven Western Conference first round series as the T’Wolves fans try and will their team to another victory. Jimmy Butler scored 28 points and double-double machine Karl-Anthony Towns collected 18 points and 12 boards to help lead Minnesota to their first playoff victory in 14 years. Veteran point guard Derrick Rose, who averaged 8.4 points a game during a brief regular season, scored 17 off the bench on Saturday and is averaging 14.0 during the series. Minnesota shot 50 percent from the floor, 55.6% from 3-point range and handed out 29 assists against just seven turnovers in Game 3. James Harden led everyone with 29 points for the Rockets, but Chris Paul fouled out with 17 points and Houston went just 15-for-41 from 3-point range.
Harden’s effort in Game 3 was a positive after he shot just 2-of-18 in Game 2, but shooting guard Eric Gordon is having a terrible series. After averaging 18 points during the regular season, Gordon is putting up 10.3 points in the postseason on a dismal 28.2% shooting and is 6-of-26 from 3-point range. Power forward Ryan Anderson (ankle) missed the first two games of the series and went 4-of-6 from 3-point range in his Game 3 return.
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Butler averaged 12 points in the first two games of the series and attempted a total of 17 shots but showed a fire when playing in front of the raucous Target Center crowd. Butler’s 28 points came on 10-of-19 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, and added series highs of seven rebounds and five assists in the win. Point guard Jeff Teague also got into the action with a series-high 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting in Game 3.
The NBA teams have the best home court advantage in all of sports and it really showed on Saturday as the Timberwolves played like a different and Houston struggled shooting the ball. The T’Wolves getting contributions from Rose off the bench is huge and I expect more of the same intensity in Game 4. Remember, Minnesota was the third-best team in the Western Conference for a while this season. They are not your typical 8-seed. I’ll take the points.
Pick: Timberwolves +5.5
- Rockets are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up loss.
- Rockets are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
- Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Rockets are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 vs. NBA Northwest.
- Rockets are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Rockets are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Rockets are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
- Rockets are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Rockets are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 vs. Western Conference.
- Rockets are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games.
- Timberwolves are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
- Timberwolves are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 vs. Western Conference.
- Timberwolves are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Timberwolves are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Timberwolves are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Timberwolves are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Timberwolves are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 Monday games.
- Timberwolves are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.
- Timberwolves are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Timberwolves are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 vs. NBA Southwest.
- Timberwolves are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Timberwolves are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 4-0 in Rockets last 4 Monday games.
- Under is 7-0 in Rockets last 7 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-0 in Rockets last 5 games following a ATS loss.
- Under is 7-1 in Rockets last 8 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-1 in Rockets last 6 games following a straight up loss.
- Under is 5-1 in Rockets last 6 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-1 in Rockets last 6 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 vs. NBA Northwest.
- Under is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Under is 26-7 in Rockets last 33 vs. Western Conference.
- Under is 19-7 in Rockets last 26 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Over is 5-2 in Rockets last 7 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Under is 7-3 in Rockets last 10 road games.
- Under is 36-17-1 in Rockets last 54 overall.
- Under is 27-13-2 in Rockets last 42 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 5-0 in Timberwolves last 5 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 8-1 in Timberwolves last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Over is 11-2 in Timberwolves last 13 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 5-1 in Timberwolves last 6 vs. NBA Southwest.
- Under is 5-1 in Timberwolves last 6 games following a ATS win.
- Under is 5-1 in Timberwolves last 6 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-1 in Timberwolves last 6 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Under is 5-1 in Timberwolves last 6 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 12-3 in Timberwolves last 15 home games.
- Under is 4-1 in Timberwolves last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Timberwolves last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
- Under is 5-2 in Timberwolves last 7 overall.
- Under is 5-2 in Timberwolves last 7 vs. Western Conference.
- Over is 12-5 in Timberwolves last 17 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Minnesota.
- Over is 15-5 in the last 20 meetings.
- Rockets are 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
- Favorite is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
