The top-rated sportsbooks have released their NBA odds for today’s Game 2 action between the Phoenix Suns and the Minnesota Timberwolves. For your best bets, I recommend playing the Suns.
If you’re thinking about placing bets on other matchups for the NBA playoffs, keep reading for a comprehensive analysis. Also, feel free to check out our YouTube video for extra coverage of the Pacers-Bucks.
NBA Best Bet: Suns +3 (-110) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Phoenix Suns vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 – 07:30 PM ET at Target Center
Phoenix Can Do It
In addition to its regular season success against the Timberwolves, Phoenix showed in the first quarter that it can score a lot against Minnesota.
The Suns’ first-quarter offensive rating was 116.7. They scored 28 points in this quarter. Their worst quarters were the following three quarters.
But this decline was not a consequence of Minnesota’s defense. Instead, it was a consequence of Phoenix’s stagnation on offense.
The Suns stopped being dynamic with their movement, making them easier to guard, making them more reliant on making tough shots, which, despite the quality of Phoenix’s star power, happened not to be falling.
Bad offense often leads to bad defense, and so the strong final score in Minnesota’s favor is able to take shape as a consequence of this preventable concatenation.
Further Factors
Several factors, in addition to Phoenix’s lack of offensive movement, that will not repeat themselves contributed to Minnesota’s win.
One, Minnesota annihilated Phoenix on the glass. My thought here is that the Suns were overconfident because they owned Minnesota in the regular season.
The Suns simply need to toughen up and get physical. There is no reason why one NBA team should own the glass to such a superior extent over another NBA team.
Two, Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen will not combine for 0-for-7 from behind the arc.
Both are highly efficient shooters with plenty of playoff experience, so one has to expect them to come back – consider it a bonus if Allen, who was limited in practice with an ankle injury yesterday, plays.
Three, Phoenix won’t be so inept with its short-range attempts in front of the basket.
The Suns made it evident that they do damage with Jusuf Nurkic, who is a potent pick-and-roll weapon that Phoenix can use to attack Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns. The likes of Nurkic just have to convert the “gimme” scoring opportunities.
Star Comparison
Of course, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are too good to struggle as they did in Game 1.
Conversely, Anthony Edwards for Minnesota, its only on-ball threat, made so many tough step-back mid-range jump shots.
Edwards’ success is unsustainable, whereas the big three for Phoenix – Booker, Beal, and Durant – will showcase their shot-making talent, especially in the mid-range against this team that is characteristically very vulnerable to allowing high shooting percentages in the 10-19-foot spaces.
NBA Best Bet
And the big three will get more than ample support from guys like Gordon, Nurkic, and better rebounding. Cutting down turnovers will help, too.
NBA Best Bet: Suns +3 (-110) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
Calculators
