Two of the best teams in the Western Conference will square off on Friday night when the Minnesota Timberwolves travel to Houston, Texas to face the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center with the game scheduled to start at 8:00 PM ET and will air on Bally Sports North.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been the best team in the Western Conference this season as they enter this game with the best record at 24-9 while also having the 2^nd best record in the NBA. The Timberwolves have been the best team defensively in the NBA this season as they are allowing an average of 107.82 points per game, however, since they play at a slower pace than the average NBA team they have also been one of the lowest-scoring teams in the NBA as they are averaging the 7^th fewest points per game with an average of 112.82 points per game. Rudy Gobert is averaging a double-double with 12.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per game while also leading the team in blocks with an average of 2.09 blocks per game. The Minnesota Timberwolves will look to end their two-game losing streak when they travel to face the Houston Rockets.

Houston enters this game in 8^th place in the Western Conference with a record of 17-15 and is on a two-game winning streak following a 112-101 win at home against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. The success of the Rockets this season can be attributed to their defensive play as they are allowing the 2^nd fewest points per game with an average of 109.58 points per game, however, they play at a slower tempo which also leads them to be one of the lowest-scoring teams in the NBA with an average of 113.03 points per game. 

Alperen Sengun is having a breakout season in his 2^nd year in the NBA and leads Houston in points and rebounds while being 2^nd on the team in assists with an average of 21.5 points, 9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.13 steals per game. The Houston Rockets will look to extend their winning streak to three games when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.

BookMaker has the Minnesota Timberwolves listed as 3.5-point favorites on the road against the Houston Rockets on Friday night. Minnesota has won eight of the last ten and two of the last three matchups while going 7-3 ATS in the last ten and 2-1 ATS in the last three games in the series. The Minnesota Timberwolves are 15-16-2 ATS overall, 7-10 ATS on the road, and 11-11-2 ATS as a favorite this season while the Houston Rockets are 19-11-2 ATS overall, 13-5-1 ATS at home, and 11-9-1 ATS as an underdog on the year.

Minnesota enters this game with the best record in the Western Conference and has been the better team in the series, winning eight of the last ten meetings. However, the Rockets are on a two-game winning streak while the Timberwolves have lost their last two games. Houston has also been the better team at covering the spread this season with a record of 19-11-2 ATS overall and 13-5-1 ATS at home while the Timberwolves are 15-16-2 ATS overall and 7-10 ATS on the road. As a result, I am buying the .5 point and taking the points with the Houston Rockets when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves.