Timberwolves vs Pelicans

Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves come in on a two-game win streak against a Pelicans squad mired in a three-game slide and just 1-9 over its last 10, underscoring why Minnesota is such a heavy moneyline favorite. With the Wolves fully healthy and rolling out a core of Edwards, Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo and Mike Conley, while New Orleans is scraping by without defensive ace Herb Jones and scorer Jordan Poole and still monitoring the statuses of Trey Murphy III and Jordan Hawkins, the talent and depth gap is stark. Historical matchups have tilted Edwards’ way too, as he has repeatedly torched New Orleans in high-usage roles, and when you combine that with Minnesota’s +5.1 scoring margin versus the Pelicans’ -10.9 profile this season, laying the -455 moneyline on the Wolves is very likely to cash but offers only modest return, so I grade this play a B+. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 02/12/2025 09:44am

Zion Williamson and the Pelicans limp into this one on a three-game losing streak opposite Minnesota’s two-game surge, but the scoring profiles on both sides make the Over 234.5 intriguing despite the Pelicans’ ugly record. The Wolves are averaging 119.2 points on 49% shooting while allowing 114.1, and New Orleans is at 111.2 for and 122.1 against; recent Pelicans home games have included 143-130 and 133-128 shootouts, suggesting that when Zion and Trey Murphy III are available, they can drag opponents into track meets. With Anthony Edwards playing at an All-NBA scoring level, Minnesota pushing pace during its current run, and a Pelicans defense that has sprung leaks even before accounting for absences like Herb Jones and Jordan Poole, I lean to the Over 234.5 at -110, but the combination of a lofty total and volatile Pelicans offense keeps this at a C+ grade. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 02/12/2025 09:44am

The Timberwolves’ current two-game win streak versus the Pelicans’ three-game skid, along with their respective scoring margins, nudges me toward Minnesota -9.5 (-120) despite the road setting. Minnesota is outscoring opponents by more than five points per game while New Orleans is underwater by nearly 11, and the Pelicans’ last three losses (including double-digit defeats to the Lakers and Warriors) show how quickly things snowball when their thin rotation is exposed by injuries to key wings like Herb Jones and Poole. Given how often Edwards has swung previous meetings with New Orleans and how Gobert and Naz Reid can control the glass against a Pelicans front line that relies heavily on Zion and young bigs, I’ll back the Wolves to cover the -9.5 with a B- grade, acknowledging some backdoor risk if New Orleans’ shooters get hot late. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 02/12/2025 09:44am