Game Time: 3:00 PM ET, Sunday, February 13th, 2022 

Venue:  Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis Indiana

Where to Watch:  NBA League Pass

DraftKings:  Spread:  NL

BetMGM:  Spread:  

VegasInsider:  Spread:  

WynnBet: Spread:  NL

Timberwolves: 29-27, 7th place Western Conference

Pacers: 19-38, 13th place Eastern Conference

A non-conference matchup in what will be the least watched NBA game all season.  The schedule makers picked two perennial doormats to be on NBA league pass… in a game that will be played on Super Bowl Sunday AND overlap with the more compelling Boston Celtics vs Atlanta Hawks game that will be on ABC.  The idea here is to take advantage of all the sports bars that will be crowded with people who will need some sports on the random TVs not tuned into the Super Bowl pre-game, the Celtics game, or the Olympics, or the Cornhole championships on ESPN… Take into account that not every bar has NBA League Pass, because it costs money.  People at home won’t be watching.  They will be flipping burgers, pounding suds, and switching channels between the Super Bowl inane pre-game junk and the Celtic game… and then their sister in law will say “we are missing the commercials!” … and then they’ll say “the game is not on yet”... to which she’ll say “Yeah, but some of the commercials have started”... They’ll look at their wives, roll their eyes, and put it back on the inane junk.  The reason to have this game is for us… the bettors.  We can put action on this game to have something to brag about while the whole group is nervous about their Super Bowl bets.  

The Minnesota Timberwolves have slowly improved all season long.  They have won 6 of their last ten games and find themselves 2 games above .500.  That is good enough for 7th in the West!  Of course 7th in the West is an odd place to be…. The top 3 teams The Phoenix Suns, the Golden State Warriors, and the Memphis Grizzlies are so good that absolutely no one under them will have a postseason chance.  Which is why it’s funny the Wolves are turning it on (mildly) this season.  Three of their last 4 losses have been to the Chicago Bulls, the Phoenix Suns, and the Golden State Warriors… all forgivable and predictable losses based on how good those teams are.  

The Indiana Pacers are lousy.  They are really bad.  They are so bad that at the trade deadline they traded away PF Domantas Sabonis.  Sabonis led them in points, rebounds, and FG%.  His trade signals a complete and total rebuild.  The NBA prognosticators have declared the Pacers the winner of that trade because they received SG/PG Tyrese Haliburton… they may be right… but Tyrese will struggle with exactly what Domantas struggled with…. THIS ENTIRE team is on the injured list… Myle Turner, Malcolm Brogdon, TJ Warren, TJ McConnell… even new guy Ricky Rubio won’t ever actually play there… plus rookie PF Isaiah Jackson who should be in there developing is dealing with a wonky ankle at the moment.  What will actually decide the winner of that trade is success… success in Indiana will be predicated on when they can play or trade the injured guys and who they will draft with their lottery pick this year.  If those guys fit with Tyrese  then great!... if not… winning a trade won’t matter.

Al McMordie was 4-5 yesterday, so he looks to bounce back on Friday. Big Al cashed in the NBA last night on Phoenix, and is 14-6 his last 20 NBA. Here, pick up Big Al's NBA Winner out of a 100% Perfect, 8-0 ATS angle. Don't miss the 9th STRAIGHT WINNER. Hop on board right now! Get on it! Go get it! Get Big Al’s picks right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers. NCAAF, NFL, MLB, college football… get positive value from all your bets! Expert picks!  Fun fact… winning a wager is much better than making a wager!

Minnesota is 29-27 on the season, but 28-27-1 ATS.  They have logged 34 Overs and 22 Unders.  They are 13-17 in road games.

The Pacers are 19-38 on the season, but 25-29-3 ATS.  They have notched 30 Overs, 26 Unders, and 1 Push.  They are 13-16 in home games.

Minnesota is 5th in scoring with 113.1 ppg, 14th in rebounds with 44.8 per game, and 13th in AST/TO with 1.7.  They are shooting 23rd in FG%, 18th in 3PT%, and 20th in FT%.  They are 23rd on defense while allowing 111.6 ppg from opponents.

The Pacers are 17th in scoring with 108.9 ppg, 16th in rebounds with 44.5 per game, and 19th in AST/TO ratio with 1.7. They are shooting 18th in FG%, 25th in 3PT%, 17th in FT%.  They are 21st on defense while allowing 111.4 ppg from opponents

Our prediction for Sunday, February 13th is…. Timberwolves 115 - Pacers 108

The Pacers just don’t have enough good pieces to put on the floor.  Tyrese Halliburton had a great 23 point debut, but he will be doing it all alone for the rest of the season.  Then he will spend the offseason hoping the Pacers make more big changes.  They should.  

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Minnesota is 135 Over and 83 Under after going Over 3 or more consecutive games since 1996.
Indiana is 31-17 ATS versus Minnesota since 1996.
Indiana is 14-9 ATS versus Minnesota at Indiana since `1996.
Both games in this series played at Indiana have gone Over in the last 3 seasons.

Timberwolves: Nothing to report

Pacers: SF TJ Warren Out ** SG/PG Malcolm Brogdon Out ** C Myles Turner Out ** PG TJ McConnell Out ** PF Isaiah Jackson Quest ** 

Timberwolves: SF Anthony Edwards, PF Jarred Vanderbilt, C Karl-Anthony Towns, SG D’Angelo Russell, PG Patrick Beverley

Pacers: PF Oshae Brissett, SF Buddy Hield, C Goga Bitadzem, SG Tyrese Haliburton, PG Chris Duarte 

Timberwolves

Points: Karl-Anthony Towns 24.3

Assists: D’Angelo Russell 6.9

Rebounds: Karl=Anthony Towns 9.5

Steals: Jarred Vanderbilt 1.5

Blocks: Greg Monroe 1.3

Pacers
Points: Tyrese Haliburton 23

Assists: Buddy Hield 8.0

Rebounds: Domantas Sabonis 12.1

Steals: Tyrese Haliburton 3.0

Blocks: Myles Turner 2.8

Timberwolves: Chris Finch

Pacers: Rick Carlisle