The Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves will square off on Thursday in the game of the night in the NBA. Both teams are playing at an incredibly high level of late, with Cleveland winning four of its last five and the Wolves winning three games in a row. But only one team will walk out of Target Center with a win. Find out who I think that will be as I make my Cavaliers vs Timberwolves prediction.
Our Cavaliers vs Timberwolves Pick ATS PRO
Pick: | Timberwolves -2.5 |
Confidence: | 4/5 |
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Minnesota Timberwolves
- Date & Time: January 8, 2026, 8:00 PM ET
- Venue: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Broadcast: NBA League Pass
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Key Storylines
- The Cavaliers (21-17) are coping with multiple absences on the injury report. They have listed Dean Wade and Max Strus as out, while Jaylon Tyson is probable and Larry Nance Jr. is questionable. Donovan Mitchell is listed as day-to-day but is expected to play without any major health concerns on his end.
- The Timberwolves (24-13) have a cleaner bill of health with Terrence Shannon Jr. listed as day-to-day. Enrique Freeman and Rocco Zikarsky are out, but that does not impact their core rotation. Minnestota’s top contributors remain available, including Anthony Edwards, who leads the team with 29.3 points per game.
- Minnesota has been on a run, winning seven of its last ten games with strong offensive and defensive efficiency that ranks it among the league’s better squads this season. The Wolves have won three games in a row, all of which have come by double digits. Two of those wins came over the Miami Heat in a home-and-home series with them.
- Cleveland has also played well, capturing recent road wins and displaying its ability to rally, as evidenced by a 120-116 win over the Indiana Pacers where Darius Garland scored 29 points and Jarrett Allen posted a double-double. The Cavs are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference but could move out of the play-in spots and into the top six with a win tonight.
Head-to-Head & Betting Trends
- This is the first of two regular-season games between the Cavs and Timberwolves this season.
- Minnesota is 16-21 against the spread so far this season.
- Cleveland is an NBA-worst 12-26 against the spread this year.
- The Cavs have gone under the total in 21 of their 38 games this year.
- The under is 20-17 in Timberwolves games going into Thursday night.
Best Player Props to Watch ATS PRO
Player | Prop to Consider |
|---|
Anthony Edwards | Over 30.5 Points |
Donovan Mitchell | Under 29.5 Points |
Cavaliers vs Timberwolves Model Projection ATS PRO
Score Projection: Timberwolves 118 – Cavaliers 113
Win Probability: Timberwolves 53%, Cavaliers 47%
Final Thoughts ATS PRO
I'm laying the points with the Minnesota Timberwolves on their home floor on Thursday night. The Wolves are playing some high-level basketball of late and they should take advantage of the fact that the Cavs are just 8-8 on the road so far this season. Look for Minnesota to cover the number against a mediocre road team in this spot.
Jay Sanin
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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