The Minnesota Timberwolves got out to a roaring 2-0 lead over the defending champions the Denver Nuggets to start the series on the road only to drop their next 2 games at home letting the Nuggets get back in the series. Now, they head out on the road for Game 5 to get back in the lead to put the pressure back on the defending champions at Ball Arena on Tuesday night. We take a look at this matchup to make a Timberwolves-Nuggets prediction and pick.

(Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Minnesota Timberwolves (62-28) had a commanding 2-0 lead coming into their Game 3 game at home against the defending champions Denver Nuggets. They ultimately slipped on a banana peel losing not just Game 3 and Game 4 but they lost the homecourt advantage along with it. This Timberwolves team is spear-headed by Anthony Edwards who's playing out of his mind not only this entire season but also in the playoffs. Even with putting up 44 points in Game 4 the Timberwolves still managed to drop the game 107-115 after not being able to overcome their first-half deficit.

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The Timberwolves have one of the best defenses in the entire NBA but was nonexistent in their last two games of the series, especially in Game 4 where not only Nikola Jokic went off for 35 points but even Aaron Gordon had himself a game-scoring 27 points while going 11-12 from the floor. The Timberwolves will need to play better collectively as a unit and give Edwards some much-needed help all while getting back to playing stifling defense if they want to right the ship and steal Game 5 on the road at Ball Arena before they head back to Minnesota.

Denver Nuggets (63-28) the defending champions were in a tough spot going down 2-0 to start the series but they stormed back winning Games 3 and 4 on the road at the Target in dominating fashion. Now the momentum has swung back in their favor as they head home looking to finally get a win on their homecourt.

The Nuggets struggled mightily in their first two games of the series failing to eclipse 100 points in each of those two games. Since then they picked it up, especially Nikola Jokic who's scored 61 combined points in their last two games to even the series up. Not only have they been firing on all cylinders offensively, but they have also been playing lockdown defense holding this Timberwolves team in check. If the Nuggets can continue this momentum they could finally get their first lead of the series and put the pressure on the Timberwolves before they head back out on the road for Game 6.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES VS. DENVER NUGGETS FANDUEL ODDS FOR ARR. 26

MONEY LINE

• MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: +154
• DENVER NUGGETS: -184

SPREAD

• MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: +4.5 (-108)
• DENVER NUGGETS: -4.5 (-112)

OVER/UNDER (TOTAL)

• OVER 206 (-110)
• UNDER 206 (-110)

BEST ODDS FOR MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES VS. DENVER NUGGETS

• The Denver Nuggets are -4.5-point favorites against the Minnesota Timberwolves. BetMGM currently has the best odds at -4.5 (-105)

• The Minnesota Timberwolves are the underdogs by 4.5 points to cover the spread. Caesars Sportsbook currently has the best odds at +4.5 (-105)
• Caesars Sportsbook currently has the best odds for the total, which is set at 205.5 (-105) for the over, and (-115) for the under

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES VS. DENVER NUGGETS INJURY REPORT

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES INJURY REPORT

• JAYLEN CLARK - OUT - ACHILLES

DENVER NUGGETS INJURY REPORT

• VLATKO CANCAR - OUT FOR SEASON - KNEE

WHY MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES WILL COVER THE SPREAD

The Minnesota Timberwolves looked poised to sweep the defending NBA champions Denver Nuggets until they let up and gave the homecourt advantage right back to them. The Timberwolves have been looking for offensive efficiency outside of Anthony Edwards in their last two games and are going to need a lot more effort moving forward from the rest of the team if they want to avoid going down for the first time in this series.

In their most recent loss in Game 4, it was all Anthony Edwards who scored a team-high 44 points but didn't have much help from the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns (13 points), Rudy Gobert (11 points, or from the 6th man of the year Naz Reid (11 points) as they lost the game 115-107 after a dominant first half from the Nuggets.

The Timberwolves still boast one of the best defenses in the NBA as they are at the top in most statistical categories:

Statistics

• FG%: 44.9% (1)
• FGM: 38.9% (1)
• FGA: 86.5 (6)
• 3P%: 35.4% (7)
• 3PM: 11.4 (3)
• 3PA: 32.1 (4)

If they can get back to playing stifling defense and give Anthony Edwards some support on the offensive end they have a chance to right the ship and get back to their winning after dropping two straight when they head to Denver for Game 5.

WHY DENVER NUGGETS WILL COVER THE SPREAD

The Denver Nuggets looked like their season was all but over after dropping each of the first two games of the series. Then the defending champions came back with a vengeance on the road taking both games in Minnesota. Now they are all tied up heading back to Denver for Game 5 with the series 2-2 as the Nuggets look to take their first series lead on Tuesday night.

The two main pieces on this Nuggets offense Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray had a tough time getting anything going at the beginning of this series but have now turned things around in a big way over their last two victories. Jokic has combined for a whopping 61 points meanwhile, Murray went from 25 points in Games 1 and 2 to 43 in Games 3 and 4. They aren't the only ones that have turned it up for the Nuggets as Michael Porter Jr. had himself a 21-point outing in Game 3 while Aaron Gordon had a 27-point outing while shooting 11-12 from the floor in Game 4.

They have played much better cohesively over their last two victories and when this Nuggets team plays at the level that we know they are capable of they are unstoppable and even a 44-point from Anthony Edwards wasn't enough to get it done. If the Nuggets can continue this style of play in front of their home crowd they can finally obtain the lead in this series and push the Timberwolves to the brink of elimination for Game 6.

FINAL TIMBERWOLVES-NUGGETS PICK & PREDICTION

In this matchup, we can expect the Nuggets to continue this momentum they have been pouring over since Game 3 while the Timberwolves' struggles continue as they fade out of this NBA playoffs race. It will be close until the Nuggets hanker down the stretch. The Nuggets will show everyone that they are still the team to beat in the NBA playoffs as they take the series lead after a Game 5 victory while covering the spread.

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FINAL TIMBERWOLVES-NUGGETS PICK & PREDICTION: DENVER NUGGETS -4.5 (-112)

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