In today’s SportSense Entertainment Newsletter presented by SportSense Premium…

Additional Model Predictions ⬇️

NHL Model Predictions- Click Here

MLB Model Predictions- Click Here

There were plenty of model predictions to go around yesterday across the NBA, with our model focusing in on one of those predictions in our Featured Matchup. That prediction went 1-0 overall, and you can see how the rest of the model performed below.

Money Line Predictions: 2-0

Over/Under Predictions: 1-1

Spread Predictions: 1-1

Featured Matchup: 1-0

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One NBA game is scheduled to take place. Our model’s predictions for that matchup can be found below.

Minnesota Timberwolves @ Denver Nuggets

Model Predicts- Timberwolves ML, OVER 207.5, Timberwolves +4.5

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets will begin the second round of the NBA postseason on Saturday, squaring off in Game 1 of the Western Conference semi finals in Denver, Colorado.

Minnesota enters this series red hot, coming off a 4-0 sweep against the Phoenix Suns in Round 1. Denver experienced a similar level of success to begin the postseason, knocking out the Lakers from title contention for the second season in a row following a 4-1 series win.

Both Minnesota and Denver cruised through the first round, but our model expects the Timberwolves to keep their momentum going today. Let’s take a look at why that is.

Minnesota Timberwolves

• Enter this series following sweep of Suns

  • Posted +13.9 Net Rating and +60 point differential in series

  • Scored 120 points or more in three of four games, led by Anthony Edwards 31.0 points per game

• Offensive explosion was too much for Phoenix to handle

  • Timberwolves posted 123.2 Offensive Rating in series- highest of any team in postseason by 3.8 points

  • Majority of damage was done in second half of games- 130.7 Offensive Rating, +50 point differential, and 48.1% field goal % in final two quarters

• Injuries- No players on injury report

Denver Nuggets

• Took down Lakers in five games in first round

  • Only loss came in Game 4 (119-108)

  • Struggled to create much separation- three of four wins were by seven points or less, with two coming by two points

• Close games were due to slow first halves

  • First half- 101.2 Offensive Rating, -14.6 Net Rating. Averaged 49.6 points on 40.9% shooting

  • Second half- 126.1 Offensive Rating, +22.7 Net Rating. Averaged 59.0 points on 51.8% shooting

• Injuries- Jamal Murray is questionable, Valtko Cancar and Collin Gillespie are OUT

What’s the Play?

This series is set to be one of the best of playoffs, and we agree with our model that Minnesota can, at the minimum, keep things close in Game 1.

Denver faced a lot of pressure in Round 1, requiring Jamal Murray to hit two game-winning shots to secure half of its victories. The close calls were directly influenced by Denver’s slow starts to many games, and if it wasn’t for several second-half collapses by the Lakers, that series would have likely gone six or seven games.

Unfortunately for Denver, positive second half splits are going to be tough to come by against this Timberwolves squad, one that owns the best second half Net Rating of any team in the postseason and averaged 61.8 points in the final two quarters in Round 1. Minnesota has shown it can step on the gas late, and if its No.1 rated defense shows up too, then the Nuggets will be in trouble early on.

Minnesota is the more well-rounded team, and posted a +5.7 Net Rating against Denver during the regular season. We wouldn’t mind a sprinkle on the Timberwolves money line, but we’ll just be taking them on the spread here.

The Play: Timberwolves +4.5 (-115)

Money Line Trends 💰

• Minnesota Timberwolves- 60-26 overall this season, 28-15 as the away team

Over/Under Trends ⬆️⬇️

• Minnesota Timberwolves- Over is 44-41-1 this season, 25-18 as the away team, and 3-1 in the postseason

Spread Trends ➕➖

• Minnesota Timberwolves- 44-40-2 against the spread (ATS) this season, 14-9 ATS as an underdog, and 4-0 ATS in the postseason

🪄 Magic defend home court, force Game 7 with Cavaliers. Paolo Banchero led the young Orlando Magic with 27 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-96 and force a Game 7. Despite Donovan Mitchell's impressive 50-point performance for the Cavaliers, Orlando's balanced scoring, with Franz Wagner contributing 26 points and Jalen Suggs adding 22, secured the victory. The Magic, coached by Jamahl Mosley, have shown significant growth, improving from 22 wins last season to 47 this season, and are now looking to clinch their first playoff series win in 14 years.

🏠 Mavericks send Clippers home with Game 6 win. Luka Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks with 28 points and 13 assists, while Kyrie Irving's 30-point performance propelled them to a 114-101 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Despite Doncic's knee issues, the Mavericks closed out the series in Game 6, advancing to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals. Norman Powell and Paul George led the way for L.A. with 20 and 18 points apiece, but the absence of Kawhi Leonard once again proved to be too much to overcome.

Today’s trivia requires you to dig into multiple pockets of your brain, testing your knowledge of recent events as well as those that happened decades ago.

See how many of the below questions you can get correct. Answers are provided at the end of the newsletter.

Question #1- What former Heisman Trophy winner was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the No.2 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft?

Question #2- Former NBA MVP Allen Iverson played for four teams in his career- the Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and what other franchise?

Question #3- What Toronto Blue Jays pitcher won the American League Cy Young award in 2021?

Anyone know what has happened on May 4th throughout history? We didn’t have a clue either, but it appears that it has been a busy day.

On May 4th…

2002- Barry Bonds hits his 400th home run as a member of the San Francisco Giants. The milestone homer came in a 3-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds, and made Bonds the first player in MLB history to hit 400 homers for one team and 100 for another (Pirates). Bonds would end his career with 762 home runs, the most in MLB history.

2015- Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry is named the NBA’s MVP. The honor was the first of Curry’s career, a result of averaging 23.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game while shooting 44.3% from three. Curry would win MVP again the following season, the first MVP in NBA history that was elected by unanimous vote.

2018- Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols records two hits and two RBIs in a 5-0 win over the Seattle Mariners. The hits enabled Pujols to reach 3,000 total for his career, making him the 32nd player in MLB history to reach the milestone. Pujols would end his career with 3,884 hits, which currently ranks 10th on the MLB’s all-time list.

1. Reggie Bush

2. Memphis Grizzlies

3. Robbie Ray