Docs Website

52 Years Strong! A Trusted Leader In Sports Picks, Best Bets and Predictions Since 1971.

Main Menu

2023 Minnesota Timberwolves Predictions with Futures Odds and Expert NBA Picks

by Spencer Toth - 10/11/2023

Minnesota Timberwolves predictions Anthony Edwards

The Minnesota Timberwolves were bounced from the opening round of the postseason for the second year in a row and are still in search of their first series win since 2004. In a competitive Western Conference, the Timberwolves will need to be at their best if they expect to remain competitive with the perennial heavyweights.

Doc’s Sports offers NBA picks for every game on our NBA predictions page.

Minnesota Timberwolves Offseason Recap

The Timberwolves had a very quiet offseason, as their biggest move was re-signing Anthony Edwards to a 5-year, $206 million dollar contract. The former 1st overall draft pick is still just 22 years old and has seen his stats gradually improve throughout his career. He posted a career high in PPG (24.6), Assists (4.4) and FG percentage (46%) last season. And entering his 4th year in the league, he will be eager to secure tangible success in the NBA.

Shake Milton will be a fun signing in Minnesota, as the former 76er will provide depth in the backcourt and is always capable of providing a spark off the bench. The Timberwolves elected to run things back with last year's squad. And considering D’Angelo Russell was exported at the trade deadline in exchange for Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and picks, this is the first offseason where the Timberwolves can evaluate their talent and then make decisions about their future.

Minnesota Timberwolves Season Expectations

Minnesota is stuck in a tough position, as they are clearly too good to tank but also lack the bonafide superstar talent to win a championship. Edwards is developing into quite the talent, but the young Atlanta native is still very rough around the edges and can lack the focus needed to succeed. The aging group of veterans comprising the rest of the starting lineup, including a 31-year-old Rudy Gobert and a 35-year-old Mike Conley, can instill wisdom in the young man, but they still lack the talented depth to make a playoff push. Gobert has flaws of his own, as while he is a menace defensively, he doesn’t have the offensive game to be competitive at both ends of the court. Their win total of 43.5 wins puts them in a tie for 10th place in the West, as it is looking increasingly likely the Timberwolves short tenure out of the basement is coming to a swift conclusion. 

Minnesota Timberwolves Schedule Breakdown

The Timberwolves open up the season with 5 of their first 7 games at home, before heading out to an early season West Coast swing. The veteran core of Minnesota will be envious of the players who get to spend the holidays with their families, as several road games over the holiday period will prevent any serious unwinding. The most daunting section of their schedule is with 15 games to go, they go on a tough 6-game road trip. Three games in five nights against the Lakers, Clippers, and Cavaliers may go a long way in determining if this team will be playing meaningful April basketball.

Minnesota Timberwolves Odds

There are a lot of options with how to attack the Timberwolves this season. Their 43.5-game win total has them sitting in the bottom half of the West. However, if they can finish above .500, they will undoubtedly be participating in the play-in tournament. They’ve finished with 44+ wins in just 2 of the last 18 seasons, and the Timberwolves fan base will be eager to see a little bit of sustained success from their NBA team. They are almost 50/50 to make the postseason, as there are -130 odds attached to their qualification, and +110 odds for them to miss the playoffs. The plus money on them missing the playoffs is quite tempting, as it appears likely that the best case scenario is they will find themselves in 9th or 10th place and have to win two straight to qualify. The odds for them to win the championship is +7000, and they are +2200 to take home the in-season tournament. It’s difficult to justify a bet on either of those, as they are stuck in a group with the Warriors, Kings, Thunder, and Spurs for the tournament, and will be hard pressed to sweep those games. The payout is there for Minnesota, but it feels very unlikely to see them do anything meaningful this season.

2023-24 Season Predictions

I don’t have any faith in the Timberwolves to have a successful season and see them coming in the 10th-13th range in the West. Aside from Edwards, the Timberwolves don’t have any bonafide talent on their roster, and their bench is even more depleted. Other Western Conference teams with similar win totals such as the Lakers (45.5), Thunder (44.5), Mavericks (44.5), and Pelicans (43.5) are all far more well-rounded than the Timberwolves, and it is difficult to argue that Minnesota will be able to keep pace. I predict a 34-48 record for the Timberwolves and for them to miss the playoffs by a significant margin. The +110 odds available for them to miss the playoffs are too good to pass up, and I would stay far away from any sort of positive Timberwolves future.

Get NBA picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bet premium picks by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.

 

Most Recent NBA Handicapping

One E-mail A Week Is All You Need!
Our weekly newsletter is loaded with exclusive free picks,insight and advice from our expert handicappers