Orlando Magic vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Preview, Prediction, Picks & Odds - 11/01/2021

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Venue:  Target Center, Minneapolis, MN

Where to watch: Bally Sports North, Bally Sports Florida

DraftKings: NL

BetMGM: NL

Caesars: NL

Magic: 1-6

Timberwolves: 3-2

Magic: lost four straight, lost 110-103 at Pistons on Saturday

Timberwolves: lost 93-91 vs. Nuggets on Saturday

The last sequence in the Minnesota Timberwolves game on Saturday was just weird. From a potential full-court heave, into a pass, to then a 2-on-1, only for Malik Beasley to be blocked at the rim for the tying layup.

Growing pains still exist in the world of Minnesota, but the Wolves are off to a 3-2 start nonetheless and that in of itself is cause for celebration.

Minnesota will get back to work Monday against the 1-6 Orlando Magic, who are coming in on a four-game losing streak after losing by seven at the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.

The T-Wolves pulled the best way to keep the Nuggets in check: Let Nikola Jokic beat you and don't let anyone else get going. Jokic got his 26 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists, with the next-highest scorer Monte Morris at 16 points.

Five different players scored in double figures for the T-Wolves, and needed to with Karl-Anthony Towns held to just 14 points on 4 of 11 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds.

"We needed to find KAT more," coach Chris Finch said. "Eleven shots is not enough. I'll take responsibility for a lot of that. In general, we've got to find him more."

This would be the best team to get KAT some more of those touches. Orlando's interior defense is shotty right now with the young duo of Mo Bamba and Wendell Carter Jr. The Magic's defense, as a whole, has allowed over 100 points in every game; at least 110 five times and 120 three times.

Franz Wagner scored a team-high 19 points, and Cole Anthony had 15 points and 10 rebounds on 6 of 11 shooting. Orlando shot 50 percent from 3-point range (16 of 32) but the downfall was the Pistons going 24 of 30 from the free-throw line. Sounds like a typical October matchup in the Eastern Conference; at least it’s not January where the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat are locked in and ready to destroy them.

"I think we ran out of gas a little bit," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. "This is our third game in four nights, and we can't use that as an excuse, but we wore down. Those guys used a lot of energy keeping us in the game for three quarters."

Orlando's defense is going to be a mess for a bit, not because the Magic are bad, but that's a young team full of lottery picks and teenagers. It's going to take time. We'd like to think Minnesota is going to be able to finally find ways to handle teams lesser than them. Timberwolves by 18

The over is 6-1 in Orlando's games this season.

The Magic are 45-64 ATS as an underdog over the past three seasons.

The Timberwolves are 7-20 ATS as a home favorite in their last 27.

Minnesota is 23-49 straight up at home in its last 72.

PG: Cole Anthony

SG: Jalen Suggs

SF: Franz Wagner

PF: Wendell Carter Jr.

C: Mo Bamba

PG: D'Angelo Russell

SG: Anthony Edwards

SF: Jaden McDaniels

PF: Jarred Vanderbilt

C: Karl-Anthony Towns

Points: Cole Anthony -- 17.7

Rebounds: Wendell Carter Jr. -- 9.3

Assists: Cole Anthony -- 5.3

Blocks: Mo Bamba -- 1.9

Steals: Jalen Suggs -- 1.1

Points: Karl-Anthony Towns -- 25.2

Rebounds: Anthony Edwards -- 8.4

Assists: Patrick Beverley -- 5.0

Blocks: Karl-Anthony Towns -- 2.0

Steals: Josh Okogie -- 1.8