Free Pick | Monday | NBA | Jan. 27

#553 Atlanta Hawks +10.5 over Minnesota Timberwolves 7:10 PM CT

Minnesota played one of the team’s best games of the season on Saturday, scoring 133 points to beat Denver at the Target Center. The Wolves shot nearly 56 percent for the game and nearly 47 percent from 3-point range while forcing 20 turnovers in a lopsided win in a rematch of a great series from the 2023-24 playoffs. Minnesota has won back-to-back big games in Western Conference action vs. teams they faced in the playoffs last season, and another such game is Wednesday in Phoenix. Minnesota is only 5-15-1 ATS at home this season and Saturday’s game was just the fifth time all season that the Wolves produced a margin of victory greater than 10 points at home with three of those instances November 8 or earlier. Atlanta is 14-9 ATS as an underdog since early November including winning S/U in three of the past four opportunities. A surprise early season team, the Hawks have slipped to below .500 with four losses in a row with significant injuries taking a toll. Trae Young and Zaccharie Risacher are not expected to play tonight while Jalen Johnson remains out. De’Andre Hunter could be back however and even with the recent roster issues the Hawks have lost just one game by more than 10 points in the past nine games, which was Saturday’s loss to Toronto. Expect Minnesota to fall back to its underwhelming season norms Monday night after getting up for Saturday’s big game.