Fri Feb 07 00:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Rockets Favored to Beat Timberwolves in Western Conference Showdown
**Minneapolis, MN** – The Houston Rockets are slight favorites heading into Thursday night’s Western Conference clash against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
Despite the Timberwolves’ historical dominance in the series (winning 11 of the last 13 matchups), the Rockets enter the game with a 32-18 record, although they’ve stumbled recently, with a 1-4 record in their last five games. The SportsLine Projection Model, boasting a strong track record of success in NBA predictions, predicts a 107-103 victory for the Rockets.
The model factors in the Rockets’ strong road record (17-10 straight up and against the spread) and the Timberwolves’ potential fatigue, as this will be their third game in four days. While Minnesota covered a large spread against the Bulls at home last night, their home record is less impressive than their overall record (13-12 straight up, 6-18 against the spread).
The model also highlights Houston forward Amen Thompson as a strong over bet, projecting him to exceed 29.5 points + rebounds + assists. His increased role due to Fred VanVleet’s absence has significantly boosted his statistics.
The SportsLine model predicts the Rockets to cover the 1.5-point spread in 59% of its simulations, and the under (214.5 total points) to hit in 56% of simulations. However, the article emphasizes that this is for entertainment purposes and CBS Sports makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy of predictions.
First Piper 