Things haven’t gone as planned for the Minnesota Timberwolves. After shipping off most of their bench for a big-name center, the Wolves now sit at only 24-25 and rank ninth in the Western Conference. The latest Rudy Gobert injury update reveals that the veteran center is questionable with a groin injury and may miss his fourth game because of it. The Timberwolves will face the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday as Brandon Ingram makes his return from injury. Must seriously consider whether Rudy Gobert is playing tonight before placing their wagers.
The Timberwolves and Pelicans will tip off at 8 p.m. ET, which means NBA DFS players may not get an update until just before lock. Those looking for an edge should heed this advice or check out the OddsShopper tools for sharp NBA bets. A full subscription to OddsShopper will help you find +ROI bets and become a profitable sports bettor!
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Rudy Gobert Injury Update – NBA Betting Impact
The Minnesota Timberwolves got Rudy Gobert back from a multi-game absence on Monday. However, the groin injury that kept him out for three games — and caused him to get ruled out early in two others — has lingered. Gobert played a whopping 36 minutes in Monday’s loss to the Houston Rockets, so the Timberwolves may opt to take things careful with him.
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Minnesota faces New Orleans tonight. The Pelicans just played the Denver Nuggets last night. Veteran guard C.J. McCollum racked up 36 minutes in the one-point loss. The Timberwolves may have to play the Pelicans on the road, but they’ll at least have a rest advantage — except over Brandon Ingram, who will make his return from a two-month absence for this evening’s contest.
If Rudy Gobert isn’t playing, Naz Reid is. He entered Minnesota’s starting lineup when Gobert first got ruled out and averaged 9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.7 blocks per game during his absence. Nathan Knight also carved out a larger role during Gobert’s absence — he racked up a whopping 19 points in 25 minutes against the Houston Rockets on Saturday and played 16 minutes against them on Monday. Knight’s playing time came at the expense of Luka Garza.
Timberwolves-Pelicans NBA Betting & DFS Advice
Gobert doesn’t contribute much on offense, so missing him wouldn’t suddenly boost the usage rates for Anthony Edwards or D’Angelo Russell. However, his absence would lead to plenty of rebounding chances for Minnesota’s frontcourt reserves. But because the Timberwolves haven’t truly committed to giving one of their backup centers massive minutes, NBA DFS players would be taking a shot in the dark by rostering Naz Reid, Nathan Knight or Luka Garza.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are a 2.5-point underdog at both DraftKings and FanDuel. That number suggests Gobert will play. However, the Timberwolves have gone 15-25 against the spread with Gobert and 7-2 against the spread without him. Only the Dallas Mavericks cover at a worse clip than the Gobert-starting Timberwolves.
Bettors who think Gobert is playing should head to DraftKings to fade the Timberwolves by buying the Pelicans as a 2.5-point home favorite. This spread won’t move much should Gobert get ruled in, so getting the -2.5 now feels reasonable. Those new to DraftKings can earn $200 in bonus bets with a $5 wager. Bettors in Ohio can score the same deal but via this link instead!
The legal gambling age is 21+ in most states. Gambling Problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.
