Despite the Minnesota Timberwolves having just a 10-11 record this season when they have former No. 1 overall picks Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards available, there's no question the team is vastly better with both on the court. That should be the case tonight vs. Atlanta, as Towns will play for the first time since late November and Edwards is likely to return after missing the past two games. Minnesota is -4.5 at Caesars Sportsbook.
Towns went down with a right calf strain on Nov. 28 against Washington but has been cleared as the Timberwolves chase a playoff spot – at 36-37, they sit in ninth place in the West but are just a half-game up on the No. 11 Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans. Teams that finish in spots 7-10 make the play-in tournament. It's not out of the question the Timberwolves could get as high as sixth and avoid the play-in tournament as they sit a game behind No. 6 Golden State. To make the playoffs, which means past the play-in tournament, Minnesota is +100 with No at -125.
Towns initially thought he'd be out for a couple of months, but he suffered "a major setback" six weeks into the rehabilitation process. Towns should be on a minutes restriction for a while and thus no props have been posted on him tonight at the various sportsbooks. The former Rookie of the Year is averaging 20.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, and we really never got a sense of how he and fellow big man Rudy Gobert fit together.
Edwards, who leads the team at 24.7 PPG and was a first-time All-Star this year, is officially questionable with a sprained right ankle but all signs point to him playing barring a setback. Before getting injured early last Friday in Chicago, Edwards had scored at least 27 points in five straight games. There's no props on him yet either, as the books wait on official word that Edwards is playing. Towns thinks his return will help Edwards.
"I've told Ant since day one, I want to see him being great and reach levels of greatness. And I can help him do that," Towns said. ""Ant's still young, and I want to make his job as easy as possible, make the big bucks and do the hard stuff, and I can do it."
Atlanta (36-36) is fighting for playoff positioning in the East. The Hawks are currently in eighth place in the conference but are -130 to make the playoffs and +105 to miss. It's the second game of a back-to-back for the Hawks after they trounced Detroit 129-107 on Tuesday. Dejounte Murray was out with an illness and is questionable tonight. Bogdan Bogdanovic started for him Tuesday and had 18 points, but Bogdanovic typically sits out the second half of a back-to-back.
Minnesota won in Atlanta 136-115 on March 13 behind a 32-point effort from Edwards, who is from Atlanta. Trae Young finished with 41 points for the Hawks, who were 4-for-22 from deep. Young is set at over/under 27.5 points tonight.
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