- The Timberwolves dropped from +9000 odds to win the NBA Finals before the start of the first round all the way to +25000 odds after Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo suffered injuries in Game 4.
- The Nuggets are favored by 11.5 points on Monday night at home, looking to mount a comeback from down 3-1 in the series.
DENVER – Game 5 between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves is scheduled for Monday night, but the series takes on a whole different feel with the absence of Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo from Minnesota’s lineup.
| Minnesota Timberwolves To Win The NBA Finals Odds | |
|---|---|
| Prior To Game 1 | +9000 |
| After Game 4 | +25000 |
Legal sports betting sites dropped the Timberwolves’ odds by nearly 300% following injuries to Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo despite holding a 3-1 lead over the Nuggets in the first round.
Edwards left Game 4 with a bone bruise as well as a hyperextension in his left knee which will keep him out for multiple weeks, while DiVincenzo was diagnosed with a torn achilles and has already been ruled out for the remainder of the postseason. The pair combined for an average of 37.3 points per game over the first three games and logged a total of 55+ minutes in each game.
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timberwolves | +11.5 (-115) | +390 | O 222.5 (-110) |
| Nuggets | -11.5 (-105) | -550 | U 222.5 (-110) |
The impact of the injuries is seen in the odds for Game 5 as well, as the Nuggets come into the game as double digit favorites on Monday night.
Denver has some injuries of their own to deal with, most notably Aaron Gordon with left calf tightness. He missed Game 3 due to the same injury and is listed as questionable for tonight’s game.
Denver Nuggets To Cover -11.5 Point Spread (-105)
The Nuggets are in a win or go home situation against an opponent down two starters with home court advantage. It may seem like a trap because of the massive spread, but Denver has gone 9-5 in elimination games since 2020, six of which came as double digit victories.
Just last season, Denver went 2-1 in elimination games before being knocked out by the eventual NBA champion Thunder, with both of their wins coming by 12+ points. Additionally, Minnesota went just 12-9 in games without Anthony Edwards during the regular season. With the sudden glimpse of hope provided by Minnesota’s injuries, expect the Nuggets to come out hot tonight and put the pressure back on the Timberwolves.
Best Prop: Bones Hyland Over 10.5 Points (-105)
Minnesota will need to find new ways to score with two starters out, and while Ayo Dosunmu, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Naz Reid may take precedence in the offense, Bones Hyland can score in bunches.
Hyland has played 20 minutes or less in each game so far this series, but has taken at least four three pointers in each of the last three games despite limited minutes. That alone is an encouraging sign, knowing that he is willing to let it fly at will.
In the 13 games where Anthony Edwards was out of the lineup and Hyland played at least 20 minutes, he averaged 16.2 points per game while shooting over 40% from three. As long as Hyland sees a decent amount of minutes, this is one of the best value bets at sportsbooks in Minnesota for Game 5.
