Phoenix Suns vs Minnesota Timberwolves Game 1 Prediction, Starting Lineups and Betting Tips for 2024 NBA Playoffs | April 20, 2024

The Phoenix Suns vs Minnesota Timberwolves matchup is one of the four 2024 NBA Playoffs games scheduled for Saturday. This will be the first game of their best-of-seven series. The two teams met three times in the regular season, with Phoenix sweeping the series 3-0. They met as recently as Sunday, the final day of the regular season, as the Suns won 125-106.

On that note, let’s take a look at the Phoenix Suns vs Minnesota Timberwolves Game 1 preview, including the prediction, starting lineups and betting tips for April 20.

The Suns hold a 83-44 all-time advantage. This will be their first meeting in the playoffs. Phoenix won the most recent game between the two teams behind Bradley Beal’s 36 points. Rudy Gobert led the T’Wolves with 21 points and seven rebounds.

Phoenix Suns vs Minnesota Timberwolves preview, prediction, starting lineups, odds and betting tips

Game 1 of the Phoenix Suns vs Minnesota Timberwolves Western Conference first-round series is scheduled for Saturday, April 20, at Target Center. The game begins at 3:30 p.m. EDT and will be televised nationally on ESPN. It will also be broadcast locally on Bally Sports North and Arizona's Family 3TV/Arizona's Family Sports. Fans can stream the game live on fuboTV and NBA League Pass.

Moneyline: Suns (+102) vs. Timberwolves (-120)

Spread: Suns (+1.5) vs. Timberwolves (-1.5)

Total (O/U): Suns -110 (o214.5) vs. Timberwolves -110 (u214.5)

Editor's note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.

Phoenix Suns vs Minnesota Timberwolves preview

The Suns start the playoffs on the road after finishing the season as the sixth seed with a 49-33 record. They finished strong, though, with seven wins in the final 10 games, including a three-game win streak to close out the regular season. Phoenix’s Big Three of Kevin Durant, Beal and Devin Booker need to rise up to the occasion if the team is to have a long postseason run.

The Cavaliers have home-court advantage after finishing the season as the third seed in the West with a 56-26 record. The top three teams were separated by just one game and that shows the level of competitiveness in the West. Minnesota won six of its last 10 games. The team’s playoffs hopes could come down to how young guard Anthony Edwards performs in the opening series.

Phoenix Suns vs Minnesota Timberwolves starting lineups, subs and rotations

The Suns will be without Damion Lee (knee) on Saturday. Phoenix coach Frank Vogel should start:

PG: Devin Booker SG: Bradley Beal SF: Grayson Allen PF: Kevin Durant C: Jusuf Nurkic

Phoenix’s key substitutes should be Eric Gordon, Royce O’Neale and Thaddeus Young.

The Timberwolves will be without Jaylen Clark (Achilles). Minnesota coach Chris Finch should start:

PG: Mike Conley SG: Anthony Edwards SF: Jaden McDaniels PF: Karl-Anthony Towns C: Rudy Gobert

The Timberwolves’ key substitutes should be Monte Morris, Naz Reid and Kyle Anderson.

Editor’s note: These are predicted starting lineups, which could change depending on the availability of players uncertain to play.

Phoenix Suns vs Minnesota Timberwolves betting tips

Kevin Durant has an over/under of 23.5 points. Most of Minnesota’s defensive attention will be on Durant, so he could look to set up his teammates for easy shots. Durant could finish the game with under 23.5 points.

Anthony Edwards has an over/under of 25.5 points. There is no one on Phoenix who can definitively shut down Edwards. He should score more than 25.5 points.

Phoenix Suns vs Minnesota Timberwolves prediction

The Timberwolves are favored at home by the slightest of margins. We are, however, going with the upset here. The Suns have too much experience to come up short at this stage of the season. Minnesota’s home advantage should help it keep the game close but Phoenix should get a narrow win. This will be a fairly high-scoring game with the team total being over 214.5 points.