Minnesota Timberwolves' Critical Game Three Strategy Analysis

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00:00Tomorrow night, game number three, kitchen sink.

00:03Minnesota needs everything to try to keep this series afloat for as long as possible.

00:09Just a three-point home underdog.

00:12DRS, what is your early look at game number three tomorrow night?

00:17I mean, it's pretty hard to sit back and say that,

00:19boy, I like the Minnesota Timberwolves at this point.

00:21They can get back into the series because I like the Minnesota Timberwolves

00:24heading into game number two, and they didn't necessarily show up.

00:26You know, a lot of people tried hard in that game, but not a lot of good results here.

00:31Anthony Edwards put up that number.

00:32I knew he would get into the 30s, but didn't get any help from the secondary players.

00:35Now, having said that, you know me all along in the NBA, in college basketball,

00:39you can say the same thing.

00:40The bench players always play better at home.

00:42You're cheered on by the home crowd.

00:43You're used to playing in that environment.

00:44You expect better results from those guys, like even like a Dante DiVincenzo.

00:48DiVincenzo's been around the block like, hey, you know what?

00:50Maybe I won't be like a minus 30 in this game.

00:52I'll come out, knock down some three-point shots, and we'll sort of survive

00:55because you can't just have one or two players hold all the weight on offense.

01:00It just doesn't work.

01:01In particular, that might work if you have the number one seed

01:03because you are the best team, not if you're looking to knock off a number one seed.

01:07But when I look at that line, it opened up at the FanDuel Sportsbook

01:09at two and a half as a favorite here in New Jersey to OKC.

01:13Quickly went to three, and other outlets right now are showing a three and a half.

01:16That's just the public weighing in saying, you're telling me now,

01:19after watching the first two games, I just need to basically win a basketball game with OKC.

01:24I'm fine with that.

01:25But game number threes typically are the most tricky,

01:27specifically when the home team already has home court advantage.

01:31They're up 2-0.

01:32You understand as a Minnesota Timberwolves fan, backer, front office, and player,

01:37you lose this game, the series is over.

01:39That does have an impact on that line because if you do lose this game,

01:43even if it's been you lose it by two points and you cover,

01:46you know what game four is?

01:47That's a whitewash for OKC because Minnesota goes,

01:50we're not beating the top seed four straight games after we just lost three times.

01:54As a matter of fact, let me just get my summer vacation going

01:56before I even have to go back to OKC at this point.

01:59That's the way I look at it.

02:00So if I'm reading lines, I like the fact that it opened up at two and a half

02:03and it's now sitting at three and a half, right?

02:05Because you're saying to yourself, that's the way it's supposed to go.

02:07I want to see where this line goes down by game time

02:09because if you were looking to back again Minnesota,

02:12this is your last chance to do so.

02:14If they don't cover, probably means they didn't win.

02:17And then game number four, I don't care what the number is.

02:20OKC, smoke that basketball team.

02:23It's a great point, DRS.

02:24And we love the FanDuel Sportsbook for a variety of reasons.

02:27But I really love when they have the betting stats of what is out there

02:31for how the public or really anybody is approaching the handicap for these games.

02:36Because yesterday, when we were live, about 52% of the bets

02:40were backing the Timberwolves as that road underdog

02:43to keep game two tightly contested.

02:46Line was seven, seven and a half in favor of the Thunder.

02:49By the time we got the tip last night,

02:51more than 60% of the bets were backing Minnesota

02:54to keep the game competitive.

02:57And yet the line was working to OKC.

03:00What should that maybe have told you about where things stand?

03:03You saw the graphic there at three and a half.

03:06Currently live on FanDuel, it is three.

03:0966% of the bets backing Oklahoma City DRS.

03:13Again, as it could be understood, winning each of the first two games

03:16by 15-plus to simply win by four tomorrow night in the Twin Cities.

03:22And yet the line, at least ever so slightly, by a half point,

03:27kind of working back to the T-wolves.

03:29It will be interesting to see what the number is by the time we get to tip

03:33tomorrow night on a Saturday in Minneapolis.

03:36A change of venue in Minnesota, hoping to take advantage

03:40to keep this series going for as long as possible.

03:43DRS, I did not expect this to be the case,

03:46but there's a decent chance,

03:48especially depending on how game three plays out tomorrow,

03:51that by the time we return on Tuesday,

03:53after a long holiday weekend here on the early line,

03:57this series could be over.

03:58Game number four in the Twin Cities on Memorial Day Monday.

04:01Yeah, we also had a poll that we put out.

04:03What's more likely to happen?

04:05The Minnesota Timberwolves win the series or a sweep by OKC?

04:08Most people thought that it was the Minnesota Timberwolves

04:09to win the series because we couldn't fathom a sweep at that point.

04:13I also understand, like, we are not unbelievable.

04:15I can't believe Minnesota didn't win one game in OKC.

04:18We're not here.

04:19It's up to you to even the score at home.

04:21We're not even even the score.

04:22How about win one out of the next two games on your home court

04:25in the playoffs in the Western Conference Finals,

04:27which then would take away the thought process

04:29of the sweep being eligible here for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

04:32But you are going to get a maximum effort

04:34out of the Timberwolves' understanding.

04:35You lose this game.

04:36There is no tomorrow.

04:37The series is over.

04:38And the price point is going to reflect that.

04:40We'll just see where some of the sharper money comes in

04:42because initially, bumping that price higher,

04:45you see the three and a half and say,

04:46well, they can't lose.

04:47But then you take a look at there's no wiggle room.

04:49Like, hey, they're getting seven and a half points,

04:51lose by five, no big deal.

04:52You have to win this game if you're in Minnesota.

04:54And we'll see where the public is

04:56once this game gets closer to tip time.

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