Two playoff hopefuls in the Western Conference face off on Thursday night, as Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves hit the road to play the Los Angeles Clippers. 

These teams have split their first two meetings this season, with the Clippers dominating their lone matchup this month, winning 115-96 back on Feb. 8.

Now, the Timberwolves are set as favorites on Thursday night in L.A.

Los Angeles remains without Darius Garland (toe), but it is within striking distance of the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. After starting 6-21, the Clippers have won 21 of their last 30 games, and they now are 17th in the NBA in net rating.

Minnesota has been a hard team to figure out this season – it has a lot of bad losses as a favorite – but it still ranks in the top-10 in the NBA in net rating.

Can the Wolves pick up a road win to further their case for a top-four seed in the West?

Let’s examine the latest betting odds, a player prop target and my prediction for this Western Conference showdown on Feb. 26. 

Timberwolves vs. Clippers Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Timberwolves -5.5 (-112)Clippers +5.5 (-108)

Moneyline

Timberwolves: -218Clippers: +180

Total

225.5 (Over -110/Under -110)Timberwolves vs. Clippers How to WatchDate: Thursday, Feb. 26Time: 10:00 p.m. ESTVenue: Intuit DomeHow to Watch (TV): Prime VideoTimberwolves record: 36-23Clippers record: 27-30Timberwolves vs. Clippers Injury ReportsTimberwolves Injury ReportRocco Zikarsky – outJules Bernard – outEnrique Freeman – outClippers Injury ReportKawhi Leonard – questionableBradley Beal – outDarius Garland – outJohn Collins – questionableTimberwolves vs. Clippers Best NBA Prop BetsClippers Best NBA Prop BetKawhi Leonard OVER 29.5 Points (-108)

In today’s best NBA props column for SI Betting, I shared why I’m backing Leonard to clear his points prop in this matchup:

Earlier this month, Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard took 30 shots and scored 41 points in a blowout win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he’s been on a scoring rampage since the trade deadline.

Leonard is averaging 28.0 points per game in the 2025-26 season, and he’s attempting the second-most shots per game of his career (19.8). Since Feb. 1, he’s averaging 29.3 points per game over a 10-game stretch, scoring 30 or more points in four games, including his last two matchups.

The Timberwolves are a top-10 defensive team this season, but they didn’t have an answer for Kawhi back on Feb. 8. Plus, with Darius Garland still out and John Collins questionable, the Clippers have to rely on Leonard to lead the way scoring the ball.

Timberwolves vs. Clippers Prediction and Pick

Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why the OVER is a great bet, including an interesting trend involving the Timberwolves: 

The Clippers smoked the Timberwolves earlier this month, scoring 115 points in that matchup, and I think we could see a high-scoring game at Intuit Dome on Thursday night.

Minnesota’s defense has struggled as of late, ranking 23rd in the league in defensive rating over its last 10 games. During that same stretch, the Wolves have been an offensive juggernaut, posting the No. 5 offensive rating in the league.

While the defense has taken a step back, the Wolves are in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating this season, so they should be able to score against this Clippers team.

L.A. has not been a high-scoring team this season (27th in points per game), but the Wolves are third, averaging 119.6 points per night. Combined, these teams average over 231 points per game this season. 

So, I don’t mind the OVER in this matchup, especially because of an interesting road trend for the Wolves.

In 28 road games this season, the Wolves have hit the OVER 19 times. Their defensive rating goes from No. 10 overall to No. 24 on the road while their offense is the second-best in the league. 

That should lead to a high-scoring game in this Western Conference clash on Thursday.

Pick: OVER 225.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Find Peter Dewey’s NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

Claim the latest DraftKings promo code offer today. Sign up and win your first $5 bet to get $200 in bonus bets instantly.