Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Thursday, Jan. 8

The Wolves are 13-6 at home this season.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and guard Anthony Edwards are favored at home on Thursday. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

A huge test awaits for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, as they hit the road to play the Minnesota Timberwolves and Anthony Edwards.

Minnesota knocked off Miami on Tuesday night – the team’s third win in a row – and it is now 13-6 at home in the 2025-26 season. 

Meanwhile, the Cavs survived on the road (but once again didn’t cover) against the Indiana Pacers with Donovan Mitchell (rest) sitting out the game. Darius Garland had 29 points and a big second half to lead Cleveland, and the Cavs will have Garland, Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley in the lineup on Thursday.

Minnesota and Cleveland are both trying to finish in the top six in their respective conferences, but the Cavs are the team that has fallen well short of expectations in the 2025-26 season. 

Can they pull off an upset win on Thursday night? 

Let’s dive into the odds, my favorite player prop and a prediction for arguably the best matchup of the night in the NBA. 

Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Cavs +2.5 (-108)
• Timberwolves -2.5 (-112)

Moneyline

• Cavs: +120
• Timberwolves: -142

Total

• 240.5 (Over -108/Under -112)

Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves How to Watch

• Date: Thursday, Jan. 8
• Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
• Venue: Target Center
• How to Watch (TV): FanDuel Sports Network (Local)
• Cavs record: 21-17
• Timberwolves record: 24-13 

Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves Injury Reports

Cavs Injury Report

• Chris Livingston – out
• Larry Nance Jr. – questionable
• Max Strus – out
• Jaylon Tyson – probable
• Dean Wade – out
• Luke Travers – out

Timberwolves Injury Report

• Enrique Freeman – out
• Terrence Shannon Jr. – out
• Rocco Zikarsky – out

Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves Best NBA Prop Bets

Cavs Best NBA Prop Bet

• Darius Garland UNDER 2.5 3-Pointers Made (-157)

Garland is coming off a big game (29 points), but he’s a fade candidate in this market on Thursday, and I shared why in today’s best NBA props for SI Betting: 

Cavaliers guard Darius Garland has a tough matchup on Thursday against a Minnesota defense that ranks sixth in the NBA in opponent 3s made per game and seventh in opponent 3-point percentage. 

On top of that, the Timberwolves are allowing just 2.98 3-pointers per game to the point guard position in the 2025-26 season.

Garland comes into this matchup off of a big scoring game (29 points) on Tuesday, but he shot just 1-for-4 from deep in that matchup. The two-time All-Star is 1-for-11 from 3 in his last two games, lowering his season percentage to 34.8 from deep.

The Cavs star has three or more 3-pointers made in nine of his 22 games, but I’m not buying him to clear this line against one of the better defenses in the NBA. Over their last 10 games, the Wolves rank third in the league in defensive rating.

I’ll fade Garland, who has been inefficient from deep all season, on Thursday night. 

Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves Prediction and Pick

Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why I think Minnesota is the bet to make to win at home: 

Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves are on a three-game winning streak and have jumped into the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference standings in the process.

Now, Minnesota hosts a Cleveland Cavaliers team that has the worst record against the spread (12-26) this season. I’m buying the Wolves to win this game, as they’re 13-6 at home and rank eighth in the league in net rating and third in defensive rating at Target Center.

On top of that, the Wolves are 7-3 in their last 10 games, posting the No. 3 defensive rating and No. 4 net rating in the league. 

Now, the Cavs are 6-4 during that stretch and ninth in net rating, but Cleveland has struggled against .500 or better teams, winning just seven of its 19 matchups this season. The Cavs are 14-5 against under .500 squads, but they have not shown that they’re a true contender yet this season. 

Cleveland’s inability to cover the spread is concerning, and I think the Wolves may be a little undervalued at home as just 2.5-point favorites. I’ll take the small price on them to win outright on Thursday. 

Pick: Timberwolves Moneyline (-142 at DraftKings)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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