Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves prediction, odds, line: 2022 NBA picks, Feb. 28 best bets from model on 69-41 run

The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Cleveland Cavaliers square off on Monday evening at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. The Wolves are 32-29 overall and 14-17 in road games this season. The Cavs are seeking a ninth consecutive home win, and Cleveland is 36-24 overall. Darius Garland (back), Caris LeVert (foot), and Rajon Rondo (toe) are out for Cleveland. Malik Beasley (illness) is listed as probable for Minnesota.

Tipoff is at 7 p.m. ET in Cleveland. Minnesota is listed as a two-point road favorite, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 222.5 in the latest Timberwolves vs. Cavaliers odds. Before making any Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model. 

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 69-41 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning almost $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Cavs vs. T’Wolves, and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for T’Wolves vs. Cavs:

• Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves spread: Wolves -2
• Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves over-under: 222.5 points
• MINN: The Wolves are 9-12-1 against the spread vs. East opponents
• CLE: The Cavaliers are 14-10-1 against the spread vs. West opponents

Why the Timberwolves can cover

Minnesota is very solid on offense, putting up more than 111 points per 100 possessions, and physicality is a key component of the team’s approach. The Wolves are in the top five of the NBA on the offensive glass, securing 29.2 percent of missed shots and averaging 15.3 second-chance points per game. Minnesota is also in the top 10 in both free-throw attempts (22.1 per game) and fast-break points (14.3 per game), with a top-flight mark in assists (25.1 per game). 

On defense, the Wolves also lean on havoc, leading the NBA in turnover creation at 16.4 per game. Minnesota is averaging 8.5 steals and 5.9 blocks per game, ranking in the top six of the league in both categories, and opponents are scoring only 45.1 points per game in the paint against the Wolves. Cleveland is No. 28 in the NBA in ball security, and the Cavaliers struggle at the free-throw line, ranking in the bottom third of the league in free-throw attempts per game and free-throw percentage.

Why the Cavaliers can cover

Cleveland has strengths on both ends, but the team’s defense is elite. The Cavaliers are No. 4 in the NBA in defensive efficiency, yielding only 105.6 points per 100 possessions to opponents. Cleveland leads the league in free-throw prevention, giving up only 18.2 attempts per game. The Cavaliers rank in the top four of the league in field-goal percentage allowed (44.1 percent), 2-point percentage allowed (50.3 percent), assists allowed (23.1 per game) and second-chance points allowed (12.3 per game). 

Cleveland is also in the top 10 of the league in points allowed in the paint, and the team’s offense is above-average in key categories. The Cavaliers are securing nearly 28 percent of available offensive rebounds, and Cleveland averages more than 25 assists per game. Minnesota ranks last in the NBA in free-throw prevention on defense, and the Wolves struggle mightily to protect the defensive glass and in assist prevention.

How to make Timberwolves vs. Cavaliers picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the total, projecting 226 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves? And which side of the spread hits almost 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.