The Indiana Pacers (13-10) travel to face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves (18-5) on Saturday, December 16th. This game will be played at Target Center. The Timberwolves are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Pacers are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Mavericks. Tip-off is set for 8:00 ET.

Pacers vs Timberwolves

The Pacers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Pacers will look to bounce back from a defeat in their last game, losing to the Wizards with a final score of 137-123. Turning the tide, the Pacers picked up the win, overcoming a halftime deficit of 69-55.

Coming into today’s game vs. the Timberwolves, the Pacers are 13-10 overall and are hoping to end their two game losing streak. When playing on the road, the Pacers are 6-5 this season while going 7-5 at home.

Currently, Indiana holds an above .500 ATS record of 13-10 so far this year. In their last two road games, Indiana has been unable to cover the spread, and they hold an ATS record of 6-5 on the road as opposed to 7-5 at home.

The Timberwolves Are Coming Off A Win

The Timberwolves notched a win against the Mavericks in their most recent game, concluding with a score of 119-101. In addition to their straight-up win, the Timberwolves also covered the spread as -1.5-point favorites. Considering the over/under, the total of 220 points fell short of the set over/under line of 231.

With an overall record of 18-5, the Timberwolves are 1st in the Western Conference and 1st in the Northwest division. In their last three games, they have gone 2-1.

Minnesota comes in with an overall ATS record of 12-10 so far this season. During this season, Minnesota has a 9-8 record against the spread as favorites and 3-2 as underdogs.

Pacers Offense Breakdown

Coming into today’s action, Indiana is averaging 128.2 points per contest. This figure places them 1st in the league. The Pacers come into the game as one of the league’s better 3-point shooting teams, connecting at a rate of 14.6 made 3’s per game. A key to the teams offensive success is their ability to avoid turning the ball over. So far, Indiana is ranked 9th in fewest turnovers per game.

Timberwolves Offense Breakdown

In 23 games games, Minnesota has an average of 113 points per game (19th). So far, the Timberwolves are averaging 98.2 possessions per game, which places them below the NBA average. Although the team tends to play at a more deliberate pace, they are currently one of the more efficient shooting teams, connecting on field goal attempts at a rate of 7th%.

Pacers Team Defense

So far, the Pacers’ defense is ranked 29th in the league at 126.0 points per contest.

In terms of two point field goal attempts, the Pacers defense has allowed a shooting percentage of 55.9% while allowing 38.5% from downtown.

Timberwolves Team Defense

The Timberwolves’ defense is presently ranked 2nd in the league, allowing an average of 105.7 points per contest.

On two point field goal attempts, the Timberwolves’ defensive unit is allowing a field goal percentage of 49.3% and allowing 33.7% from beyond the arc.

Key Players For The Pacers And Timberwolves

For today’s matchup, we project Tyrese Haliburton to lead the scoring for the Pacers, putting up 19 points and shooting at a rate of 7/13. Throughout this season, his average stands at 25.7 points per game, along with 4.1 rebounds.

On the flip side, our predictions place Karl-Anthony Towns as the leading scorer for the Timberwolves. We expect him to conclude the game with a team-high 15 while also collecting 7 rebounds. This season, he has put together a field goal percentage of 51%, and he is contributing 21.6 points per game on average.

Pacers vs Timberwolves Trends

• Through their last three road games, Indiana has an ATS record of just 1-2. However, their overall record was 1-2 while averaging 126 points per game.
• When looking at their past ten home matchups, Minnesota has an ATS record of 5-4-1 while averaging 116 per game. The team went 8-2 overall in these games.
• Through their last five games as the underdog, the Pacers have an ATS record of 3-2 and a straight up mark of 3-2.
• In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Timberwolves have a strong straight up record of 5-0. In addition, their ATS record was 3-2 in these scenarios.

Pacers vs Timberwolves Prediction

Coming in as the underdogs at +8.5, we have the Pacers as the way to go on the point spread. Not only do we have them covering, but our projections show they have a good one of winning this one straight-up, if you’re looking for a higher payout on the moneyline.

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 245.5, and our model projects the Pacers and Timberwolves to reach a combined total of 226 points. Our bet is on taking the under.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.