The Minnesota Timberwolves need a spark. They now sit at 22-23, good for only ninth in the Western Conference. Worse, they may have to play without either of their top two centers tonight, as Karl-Anthony Towns remains out and the latest Rudy Gobert injury report reveals he is questionable with a groin injury. The Timberwolves need to get things turned around, but bettors must seriously consider whether Rudy Gobert is playing tonight before placing their wagers.
The Timberwolves will tip off against the Denver Nuggets at 10 p.m. ET, which means bettors won’t have clarity about Gobert’s status until late this evening. [EDITOR’S NOTE: OddsShopper tools for sharp NBA bets. Bettors can also try out a one-week free trial of NBA Bet Pro to access cutting-edge betting projections that will update once the Timberwolves announce Gobert’s official status.
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Rudy Gobert Injury Update – NBA Betting Impact
Gobert injured his groin in a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday. He played only 13 minutes before exiting. The Timberwolves listed him as questionable for Monday’s game against the Utah Jazz, but Gobert started — only to exit after five minutes of action. He now finds himself listed as questionable again.
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The Timberwolves will face the conference-best Denver Nuggets tonight. Minnesota will benefit from home-court advantage and some extra rest, as the Nuggets just played the Portland Trail Blazers last night. Star center Nikola Jokic played a team-high 34 minutes in Denver’s win. The Timberwolves have gone an unremarkable 11-13 against the spread at home and will need all the help they can get to beat a strong Nuggets squad.
If Rudy Gobert isn’t playing, the Timberwolves will slot backup center Naz Reid into the starting lineup. Reid averaged 12 points, 7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks with Gobert unavailable for most of Minnesota’s last two games. Reserve big men Luka Garza and Nathan Knight both saw the court because of Gobert’s injury. Anthony Edwards scored 26-plus points in both outings as well, but he has also picked up a questionable tag.
Nuggets-Timberwolves NBA Betting & DFS Advice
The Timberwolves can’t keep forcing Gobert into action only for him to continuously re-aggravate his groin injury. Minnesota should sit him for at least one game to help him recover. But NBA teams don’t always make smart decisions, and Gobert hasn’t yet been ruled out of Wednesday’s Nuggets-Timberwolves game. Gobert is a huge risk at his salary of $7,300 at DraftKings, and NBA DFS players should consider featuring Naz Reid ($4,800) if he sits.
Minnesota is an 8-point underdog at both DraftKings and FanDuel. Pinnacle, a sharp sportsbook, also has this game at that number. Since the Nuggets will play on the wrong end of a back-to-back, that number suggests Gobert won’t play. However, the Timberwolves are 4-1, both straight up and against the spread, when Gobert sits. His absence may actually benefit Minnesota.
Bettors who think Gobert won’t play but Edwards will should head to DraftKings to back the Timberwolves as an 8-point underdog. This spread won’t move much if Gobert gets ruled out, but it could move considerably if the Nuggets announce that they’ll rest one or more of their starters. Getting the +8 before definitive news about Denver’s lineup would likely score you a small amount of closing-line value (CLV). Those new to DraftKings can earn $200 in bonus bets with a $5 wager. Bettors in Ohio can score the same deal but via this link instead!
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