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The Timberwolves face the Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs on May 4. Minnesota is dealing with significant injuries, while San Antonio comes off a strong series win against Portland.
Timberwolves vs. Spurs â NBA Playoffs â Game 1 predictions: Odds, stats, trends and best bets for May 4
The Timberwolves and Spurs meet tonight in San Antonio for Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series. The Timberwolves are short-handed without question while the young Spurs are finding their playoff footing.
Minnesota comes into this matchup after eliminating Denver in six games, capped by a 110â98 win in which Jaden McDaniels posted 32 points and 10 rebounds. Terrence Shannon Jr. added 24 but the reason Shannon is getting that run is because thei Timberwolvesâ backcourt has been decimated by injuries. Anthony Edwards (knee) and Ayo Dosunmu (calf) are both listed as questionable, while Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) is out, leaving Minnesota reliant on Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert to anchor both ends of the floor. Their defense carried them in the First Round as Gobert slowed and a combination of players shut down .
Anthony Edwards and Ayo Dosunmu are both listed as questionable due to injuries, while Donte DiVincenzo is out with an Achilles injury.
The Timberwolves eliminated the Denver Nuggets in six games, concluding with a 110â98 victory.
The Spurs utilize a fast-paced offense and excel in spacing the floor, averaging 119.8 points per game.
Jaden McDaniels scored 32 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Terrence Shannon Jr. added 24 points in their last game.

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San Antonio, however, is a different beast. They push pace and space the floor extremely well. The Spurs take the court in Round 2 following a dominant series win over Portland in five games. Wembanyama was a monster in the paint against the Blazers and he is expected to be a major factor again in Round 2âŠespecially against a Minnesota team missing its top scorer in Edwards. The Spursâ offense averages 119.8 points per game, and their ability to push in transition and generate corner threes will challenge Minnesotaâs defensive discipline.
Matchupâwise, the spotlight falls on the frontcourt battle. Gobertâs rim protection was crucial against Denver, but Wembanyama presents a completely different challenge with his length, mobility, and perimeter threat. Minnesota may need to lean on smaller, fiveâout lineups featuring Randle in order to pull Wembanyama away from the basket, a strategy analysts expect them to explore. Meanwhile, San Antonioâs depthâhighlighted by contributors like Julian Champagnie and Stephon Castleâgives them multiple scoring outlets if Minnesota overcommits defensively.
While both teams are obviously playing well, the Spursâ health and continuity give them a clear advantage as they take the court tonight.
Lets take a closer look at tonightâs matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
Weâve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
This game opened Spurs -13.5 with the Game Total set at 218.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
**Know that if Dosunmu and Edwards play, Conly and Shannon head to the bench. If one of the aforementioned injured players returns, Shannon most likely will be on the bench.
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