Getty Philadelphia 76ers guard Jimmy Butler
For Philadelphia 76ers fans or NBA followers who simply love drama, there’s a good chance you’ve had Monday’s game circled on your calendar for some time. This marks the first matchup between Sixers guard Jimmy Butler and the team he demanded a trade from this offseason, the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Although it took some time for the Timberwolves to find a deal they wanted to accept for the All-Star guard, he’s now in Philly and it’s been a mixed bag to this point. The Sixers are winning games, but there’s been a bit of drama. Regardless, Butler will face the team he left behind after a few explosive moments in practice and it has the potential to be must-see television.
We’re going to take a dive into the game itself by evaluating the betting line and odds while also offering up a prediction and pick.
Timberwolves vs. 76ers Betting Line & Odds
*Note: All current odds and betting lines from Bovada and opening numbers provided by Odds Shark
| Current | Opening | |
| Betting Line/Odds | Philadelphia 76ers (-6.5 at -105) | 76ers: -6 (-110) |
| Projected Total | Over/Under 232 (-115) | Over/Under 232 (-110) |
It’s not surprising to see the Sixers (28-16) open as favorites at home against the Timberwolves (21-22). But it seems the public believes we may be in store for a Butler takeover on this night. Or, they’re just believers in Philadelphia boasting the better team with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Regardless, as Odds Shark shows, the Sixers are currently getting 58 percent of the action.
The projected over/under of 232 is high, but 55 percent of people are on the over as well, expecting a high-scoring game. Interestingly, the Timberwolves have been a better team against the spread this season, going 23-20 while Philadelphia is 20-24 ATS.
Timberwolves vs. 76ers Prediction & Pick
One thing that jumps out here is the home/away splits for the Sixers, as they’re hard to ignore. It’s almost like a different team when Butler and company play at the Wells Fargo Center, and they’ve posted an 18-4 record there. This means they’ve gone just 10-12 on the road, while the Timberwolves find themselves in a similar position with a brutal 6-15 record away from home.
Although Philly has dropped two of their last three games and gone 1-4 ATS in their last five, they’ve had Minnesota’s number, at least from a betting standpoint. Over the past 10 meetings, they’ve posted an 8-2 record against the spread against the Timberwolves. It’s tough to read into that number too much, though, as this is the first meeting between the two teams since the trade.
This one comes down to whether you believe the Sixers can get past their current struggles and pull off a win that Butler is almost certainly desperate to pick up. I’m going to ride with Jimmy here and take Philly while factoring in their impressive home record.
Picks: Philadelphia 76ers -6.5
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