Minnesota Timberwolves odds: 3 Wolves futures bets worth considering
By Nate Ackert
3 Minnesota Timberwolves futures bets: Timberwolves to make the playoffs
Timberwolves odds to make the playoffs are +350
The Action Network has the Timberwolves’ odds to make the playoffs this year at +350, meaning that if the Wolves were to make the playoffs, a $100 bet would yield $350.
The playoff format this year will be different from past years. On Nov. 17, the NBA sent out a press release outlining changes for the 2020-2021 playoffs.
In short, the change means that an additional two teams will get a shot at getting into the playoffs this year via the play-in changes to the traditional format. This bodes well for the Timberwolves, who will likely be fighting for one of the last playoff spots. This format throws a lifeline to teams that would normally be left out of the traditional top eight teams, increasing the Timberwolves’ options for making the playoffs.
Aside from the expanded format, the Wolves will be tasked with navigating a tough Western Conference. Here’s how the West shaped up last year:
- Lakers
- Clippers
- Nuggets
- Rockets
- Thunder
- Jazz
- Mavericks
- Blazers
- Grizzlies
- Suns
- Spurs
- Kings
- Pelicans
- Timberwolves
- Warriors
The list of the most likely downward movers from last season starts with the Oklahoma City Thunder, following the departure of Chris Paul and Steven Adams. The Rockets will likely be worse than last year, too, after the Russell Westbrook trade and the looming James Harden situation.
Aside from those teams, it’s difficult to argue that any other teams in the West will be worse than last year. Golden State will be much better this year with the return of Steph Curry even though Klay Thompson will miss the season. The Suns have the potential to improve as well with the addition of Chris Paul.
With this in mind, it’s important to remember that last year is a poor measuring stick for this year’s Wolves team. Last year’s roster was completely flipped at the trade deadline, and the new group only had a few games to play with each other before the onset of the pandemic that lead to the NBA shutdown. On top of that, KAT wasn’t healthy for a large chunk of last season and Russell and Towns haven’t played together.
For this reason, it’s entirely possible that Vegas is undervaluing the Timberwolves.
Taking into account that the playoff picture in the West hasn’t had overly-dramatically shifted, there are teams in the West that lack depth, leaving them extremely vulnerable to injury/illness. Teams like Memphis, Phoenix, and Dallas don’t have the deepest of rosters, and a single injury/illness in the season could dramatically impact their playoff prospects.
What happens to Dallas if the worst happens and Luka Doncic gets hurt? What happens to Phoenix if Devin Booker or Chris Paul has to miss a handful of games with COVID-19? These small possibilities become magnified in a shortened season and must be taken into account. Depth will be more important this season than any other season.
To be fair, Minnesota is absolutely in this category when thinking about KAT. We all saw last season what happens to the Wolves when Towns is unavailable. This is simply another factor to consider when evaluating Minnesota’s playoff odds.
Overall, it appears that Vegas could very well be undervaluing Minnesota. They are one of the toughest teams to project given the squad’s lack of playing time together. At +350 odds to make the playoffs, they are a worthwhile team to bet on. It’s simply difficult to look at the Wolves roster and not see a team that is, at a minimum, in the top 10 in the West.
Barring injury and illness, the Wolves will absolutely be in the mix, and the additional No. 9 and No. 10 slots present even more chances for the Wolves to make the playoffs. The Wolves to make the playoffs at +350 is a strong bet.
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Be sure to monitor these odds over the first few weeks of the season, especially if the Wolves start slow. It will take time for Ryan Saunders to figure out his lineup rotations, and once this set, there are very few reasons to believe that Minnesota won’t be in the mix for a bottom playoff spot.