The Minnesota Timberwolves head to the Mile High City for a Christmas night game against the Denver Nuggets.
After dominating the series in recent years, the T-Wolves saw a six-game winning streak over Denver snapped earlier this year. The Nuggets are 2-0 at Minnesota this season and will look to go 3-0 against them with this home game.
Denver will likely be without three starters, which is a big reason my Timberwolves vs. Nuggets predictions and NBA picks include a road cover for underdog Minnesota on Thursday, December 25.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets prediction
Timberwolves vs Nuggets best bet: Minnesota Timberwolves +3.5 (-110)
The Denver Nuggets knew they'd be down two starters. Neither Christian Braun (ankle) nor Aaron Gordon (hamstring) has played at all in December.
Gordon scored a total of 32 points in Denver's two previous wins over Minnesota this season. Braun only played in one, scoring seven.
The surprise was shooter Cameron Johnson, who went down with an apparent knee injury against Dallas in the last game. He was scheduled for a Christmas Eve MRI, but limped immediately afterward and is day-to-day for the game.
The Nuggets' depth has helped Denver flip the series against Minnesota. After losing six straight to the T-Wolves, 1-5 ATS, heading into the season, the Nuggets won and covered both games this year.
However, with three of the six double-figure scorers potentially unavailable due to the team surrounding Nikola Jokic, that depth will be depleted in the holiday rematch.
Denver is 1-2, straight up and ATS, since its six-game winning streak ended. The hot stretch was a bit of fool's gold, since it included just two winning teams and opponents with a combined .404 winning percentage.
The Nuggets have also lost to 12-19 Dallas twice in the last 10 games.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have pulled within a game and a half of Denver, riding a three-game winning streak and a 5-1 ATS run. The T-Wolves have covered their last three as underdogs, dating back to before Thanksgiving.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets same-game parlay
The game total seems high given that both teams rank in the lower half of the league in pace. Minnesota has gone Under in five straight and seven of the last nine, all against significantly lower game total cutoffs.
Denver has been Under the game total in two of the last three and has played a long string of faster-paced teams, with 10 of the previous 14 games coming against teams ranked in the top half of the NBA's tempo rankings.
If Cameron Johnson doesn't play, Denver will be down an outside threat, which would seem to make it easier to team up on Jokic, but his assists actually have gone up when a shooting threat is out.
Jokic had 11 dimes against Minnesota in a game Johnson missed earlier this year and had 14 against Indiana when Jamal Murray was out.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets SGP
- Minnesota Timberwolves +3.5
- Nikola Jokic Over 10.5 assists
- Under 239
Our "from downtown" SGP: Joker is no Joke!
Guarding Jokic is a big job, and as one of the league's most-honored defenders, Rudy Gobert will take on a large portion of that job. That means paying less attention and expending less energy at the other end of the floor.
Gobert has scored a total of 12 points and taken a total of 10 shots in the first two games against Denver this season.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets SGP
- Minnesota Timberwolves +3.5
- Nikola Jokic Over 10.5 assists
- Rudy Gobert Under 10.5 points
- Under 239
Timberwolves vs Nuggets odds
- Spread: Timberwolves +4.5 (-110) | Nuggets -4.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Timberwolves +155 | Nuggets -190
- Over/Under: Over 230.5 (-110) | Under 230.5 (-110)
Timberwolves vs Nuggets betting trend to know
The Denver Nuggets have hit the Game Total Over in 57 of their last 97 games (+13.03 Units / 12% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Nuggets.
How to watch Timberwolves vs Nuggets
| Location | Ball Arena, Denver, CO |
| Date | Thursday, December 25, 2025 |
| Tip-off | 10:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN/ABC |
Timberwolves vs Nuggets latest injuries
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