The Minnesota Timberwolves (1-0) take on the Orlando Magic (0-1) at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida, Friday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET. Let's analyze NBA odds around the Timberwolves vs. Magic odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions for the best bets.
2025-26 season series: Magic won 2-0
Minnesota started its season off with a bang, destroying the Miami Heat 131-106 Wednesday as a 1.5-point road underdog while the Under (249.5) cashed. G Anthony Edwards was unstoppable, scoring 45 points while shooting 16 of 29 (55%) from the field and 9 of 17 (52.9%) from deep. He also grabbed 10 rebounds. G LaMelo Ball made life way easier for Edwards as he took over a lot of the ball-handling responsibilities and scored 21 points. Minnesota's defense
was also on full display; the Wolves out-rebounded Miami 52-34, forced 18 turnovers, and held the Heat to just 8 of 33 (24%) shooting from 3.
Orlando suffered a tough 132-125 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, failing to cover as a 2.5-point home favorite as the Over (243.5) was smashed. F Paolo Banchero went off for 35 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds, and 3 other Magic starters finished with at least 18 points. However, Orlando was plagued by inconsistent shooting and turnovers; the Magic caught fire to hit 10 3s in the first half, but only cashed 3 in the second half, and they turned the ball over 20 times.
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Timberwolves at Magic odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:16 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Timberwolves -125 (bet $125 to win $100) | Magic +105 (bet $100 to win $105)
- Against the spread (ATS): Timberwolves -1.5 (-110) | Magic +1.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 235.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Timberwolves at Magic key injuries
Timberwolves
- G Donte DiVincenzo (achilles) out
Magic
- G Anthony Black (ankle) out
- F Jonathan Isaac (knee) out
- F Izaiyah Nelson (ankle) out
- F Noah Penda (hamstring) out
For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.
Timberwolves at Magic picks and predictions
Prediction
Timberwolves 118, Magic 108
Moneyline
PASS.
The Wolves will win this game and cover as -125 favorites, but it is not worth the extra juice to back them on the moneyline when I am also picking them to cover against the small spread. Pass here and back Minnesota ATS for the higher potential payout.
Against the spread
BET TIMBERWOLVES -1.5 (-110).
Minnesota just made a defensively loaded Miami team look pedestrian on that side of the ball, and on the other side, the Wolves absolutely shut down anyone not named Giannis Antetokounmpo, as he was the only Heat player to score over 15 points. Minnesota was also dominant on the glass in that game, and the Heat have much better rebounding bigs than the Magic, so look for that to continue here as well.
Expect that Edwards continues to look like an MVP in this matchup, and look for Minnesota's rebounding and defense to be too much for Orlando to deal with.
Over/Under
LEAN UNDER 235.5 (-110).
Minnesota should have a lot of success defensively in this matchup. The Wolves have bodies to throw at Banchero, and the interior presence of C Rudy Gobert will also make life harder for Orlando's stars. On the perimeter, Orlando doesn't have many true threats, so look for Minnesota's defense to have a performance similar to what it had against Miami. On the other side, the Magic will likely struggle to stop Minnesota's backcourt, but it is unlikely that the Wolves go and hit 21 3s again to score as much as they did on Wednesday.
This is a lean because Minnesota's offensive ceiling is so high that the Timberwolves could push this game close to hitting the Over even if Orlando does not play well offensively, like what happened in the season-opener against Miami.
Best prop bet
Timberwolves G ANTHONY EDWARDS OVER 29.5 POINTS (-108 FanDuel Sportsbook).
Edwards started the season with 45 points against a team that threw a lot of good defenders at him, and he cooked every single one of them. Out of those 45 points, only 4 came from free throws, but don't be surprised if he gets to the line more in this one against a Magic team that will be desperate to find a way to keep him from penetrating the paint. Expect Edwards to come out aggressive and looking to score early and often, and expect that he hits at least 4 3s as well here.
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This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: Minnesota Timberwolves at Orlando Magic odds, picks and predictions
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