Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Philadelphia 76ers Prop Pick: Can Joel Embiid Find Success Against Timberwolves?
The Philadelphia 76ers will host the surging Minnesota Timberwolves in NBA Wednesday action from Philly. Will Karl-Anthony Towns and the Timberwolves be able to shut down Embiid in this highly-anticipated clash? Ben Rajavuori provides his top prop pick in Timberwolves vs. Sixers.
Ben Rajavuori - December 20, 2023, 5:15 PM EST
5 minMinnesota Timberwolves vs. Philadelphia 76ers Prop Pick: Can Joel Embiid Find Success Against Timberwolves?
The Philadelphia 76ers host the Minnesota Timberwolves in a heavyweight matchup on Wednesday night's NBA slate. These are two of the best teams in the league right now, as the Timberwolves enter with the best record in the NBA at 20-5, and the Sixers are third in the Eastern Conference at 18-8. With a big game coming up tonight in Philly, can Joel Embiid make an impact in this game?
Timberwolves vs. 76ers Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: December 20, 2023
- Game Time: 7:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: NBA TV
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Philadelphia 76ers Prediction
Joel Embiid is coming off an MVP award for his play last year. He has been at the forefront of this Sixers team for years now, and his impact has not waned into the 2023-2024 season. He is averaging 34.4 points per game this season, which is the highest in the league. Luka Doncic is second with 32.9 points per game. Embiid's point total for tonight's game is 33.5, which is under his season average because he is up against a formidable Wolves' defense.
The Minnesota Timberwolves rank first in the NBA in defensive rating. They are giving up an NBA-low 105.9 points per game, and they only allow opponents to shoot 43.6% from the field, which is the lowest in the league as well. This defense is led by Rudy Gobert, who is the best defensive center in the league, and one of the best defenders overall. Gobert has a 104.4 defensive rating and a .175 defensive win share. The Wolves are also excellent at defending the paint because of their unique three-center lineup featuring Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Naz Reid. The size of the Wolves makes it difficult to penetrate the paint, which is where Embiid mostly scores.
Embiid is facing the best paint defense in the league tonight, which makes it plausible how his point total is so low. Embiid is averaging 40 points per game in December, but he has been playing some of the worst defenses in the league. In his seven games in December, he has played the Pistons (2-25) twice, the Wizards (4-22) twice, the Hawks (11-15), the Hornets (7-18), and the Bulls (11-17). He has not played a team above .500 in the month, and every team he has played in December ranks 22nd or lower in defensive rating in the NBA. I expect his scoring to come back down to earth tonight in a bad matchup, and I think he will stay under 30 points here.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Philadelphia 76ers Prop Pick
3 Unit Pick: Joel Embiid Under 33.5 Points (-110) Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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