NBA picks: Julius Randle key to Timberwolves vs. Clippers same-game parlay for Thursday, Feb. 26
Two Western Conference playoff hopefuls face off Thursday when the Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Los Angeles Clippers, and we've built a three-leg same-game parlay for the contest
The Los Angeles Clippers will try to get rolling in the second half of the NBA season, and they'll be looking to stop a two-game slide Thursday when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota (36-23) is fifth in the West and has won two of three games since the All-Star break, while the Clippers have lost their past two and sit 10th in the conference standings. Los Angeles is an efficient shooting team but plays a deliberate defensive game, while the Timberwolves are one of the league's top scoring teams.
Both teams are relatively healthy, and neither is on a back-to-back, but checking the injury report is always important before selecting your same-game parlay. Minnesota is a 5.5-point favorite in the latest Timberwolves vs. Clippers odds, and the over/under for total points scored is 225.5. The Timberwolves are -213 on the money line, with Los Angeles a +176 underdog.
Thursday's Timberwolves vs. Clippers matchup should feature two of the league's top 10 scorers. Minnesota's Anthony Edwards is third in the league at 29.6 points per game and Kawhi Leonard leads the Clippers at 28 per contest, eighth in the NBA. Leonard is questionable with a lingering ankle issue but played Sunday with the same designation. We've built a three-leg same-game parlay for this Western Conference matchup, with odds from DraftKings Sportsbook and recommendations from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered Week 19 on a sizzling 38-18 roll on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Timberwolves vs. Clippers same-game parlay picks
- Clippers +5.5
- Over 225.5
- Julius Randle Over 18.5 Points
Clippers +5.5
The Clippers are 18-11 against the spread as an underdog and 5-3 ATS as a home dog, while Minnesota is 8-12 ATS as a road favorite. Los Angeles has a top-10 defense that allows 112.6 points per game, and while the Clippers have lost eight of the past 10 meetings with the Timberwolves, they covered the spread in five. The SportsLine Projection Model has L.A. covering in 66% of its simulations, good for a "B" grade.
Over 225.5
The SportsLine model also has a "B" grade on the Over in Thursday's game, with the projected score coming in just under 240 points. Over 225.5 is hitting in 68% of simulations. These teams combine to score more than 230 points per game, and while the Clippers don't score a ton of points most nights, they are efficient offensively. They rank in the league's top 12 in all shooting categories, including first in free throw percentage and seventh in field-goal percentage.
Julius Randle Over 18.5 Points
Randle averages just under 22 points per game, and the SportsLine props model is projecting him to score 20.6 on Thursday. He has been ice cold from 3-point range this month, shooting 24.4%, but Los Angeles opponents shoot almost 37% from 3-point range (25th in NBA), so he could heat up. He scored 17 in the last meeting, a 115-96 loss on Feb. 8, but made just seven of 19 shots from the field. If he gets just a couple more to drop, he'll hit the Over here.
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