The Minnesota Timberwolves will visit the Denver Nuggets to wrap up the slate of five NBA Christmas games, with tip-off set for 10:30 p.m. ET.
Both teams head into this game coming off wins and are also 8-2 in their last 10 games.
That said, before this game, the Nuggets are on the road against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, and the Timberwolves are hosting the New York Knicks.
Below, I’ll provide my top Timberwolves vs Nuggets predictions.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets Odds
All NBA odds used for these Timberwolves vs Nuggets best bets are current as of Tuesday, Dec. 23, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Timberwolves (+154) vs Nuggets (-185)
- Spread: Timberwolves +4.5 (-112) vs Nuggets -4.5 (-108)
- Over/Under: Over 237.5 (-110) / Under 237.5 (-110)
Timberwolves vs Nuggets Predictions
Score Prediction: Nuggets 121, Timberwolves 118
Both teams have been playing well recently, though there are some injuries to be aware of.
For the Nuggets, they’ll remain without Aaron Gordon (hamstring), Christian Braun is looking unlikely (ankle), and Tamar Bates (foot) is out for the foreseeable future.
As for the Timberwolves, Joe Ingles is dealing with a personal issue, so his status is up in the air, and Jaden McDaniels is dealing with an oblique injury that may keep him out of this game.
Denver leads the league in points per game (125.1), but the Timberwolves have been defending 2-pointers well all season, which is where Jokic averages 12.4 of his 17.2 shot attempts.
The Timberwolves will keep this game close, but the Nuggets win.
Timberwolves vs Nuggets Best Bets for Christmas 2025
Timberwolves +4.5 (-112) @ Nuggets
The Nuggets have been without Braun and Gordon since mid-November, so that means they’ll be missing more than 30 points per game.
Still, the Nuggets have Jokic, who’s been excellent this season, averaging 28.9 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 10.8 assists per game.
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However, he’s heading into a matchup against a Timberwolves team that, before they clash with the Knicks, is holding teams to 48.4% shooting on 2-point buckets over their last three games.
For my NBA pick of the day, I’m backing the Timberwolves to slow Jokic down enough to keep this game close and cover.
Over 237.5 Total Points (-110)
In games the Nuggets play in, the over has hit 18 of 28 times (64.3%).
The Timberwolves are sixth in 3-point shooting (37.2%), and the Nuggets have been a bit vulnerable on the perimeter lately.
In addition to slowing down Jokic enough to get within striking distance to cover the spread, the Timberwolves will be able to score enough to elevate this total.
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