3 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Warriors vs. Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Playoffs

The NBA playoffs are here, and even within a single game, betting markets are abundant.

You can bet traditional markets like the spread or the total, but we've also got tons of player-prop markets to sift through.

Which bets stand out today as the Golden State Warriors face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference Playoffs?

Let's dig into the best bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA betting odds, utilizing FanDuel Research's NBA projections to try to find value.

Warriors at Timberwolves Game 1 Betting Picks

Warriors Under 102.5 Points (-118)

During the regular season, both teams were in the top half for the slowest paces while finishing in the top seven of defensive rating. Low totals should be a mainstay for this series. If anything, tonight's 210.5 total is higher than I expected.

With that said, targeting an under is high on my priority list. The Warriors' total sitting at 102.5 has most of my attention. Minnesota's defense was excellent against the Los Angeles Lakers, holding them to only 100.4 points per game (PPG). Golden State's offense wasn't exactly lighting the world on fire in its previous series, posting only 104.0 PPG. The T-Wolves' defense is a similar challenge to the Houston Rockets' unit, but Minnesota plays at a slower pace on average.

The Warriors mostly lean on the three-ball by averaging the third-most makes and second-most attempts per contest during the regular season. Plus, Golden State had the second-highest three-point shot distribution from the regular season, per Dunks & Threes. The Timberwolves have boasted one of the best perimeter defenses all season, ceding the fifth-fewest made threes and the eighth-fewest attempted triples per contest.

Compared to giving up the 7th-lowest three-point shot distribution, Minnesota's interior defense has looked far more vulnerable at times by allowing the 16th-lowest shot distribution around the rim. However, the Warriors aren't known for an aggressive paint attack, touting the fifth-fewest points in the paint per game and the eighth-lowest shot distribution around the rim.

Considering Golden State's averages from its previous series, scoring could be a struggle with the Wolves playing at an even slower pace.

Julius Randle Over 20.5 Points (-110)

While Anthony Edwards is going to take the bulk of the headlines as Minnesota's star, Julius Randle deserves a ton of credit right now. Against his former team, Randle torched the Lakers by posting 22.6 PPG while shooting 48.1% from the field and 39.3% from three-point land.

His three-point volume was up to 2.2 made threes and 5.6 attempted triples per contest in the series (1.6 and 4.6 in the regular season). Plus, Randle's usage rate in the playoffs has slightly jumped from 25.6% to 25.8%. That's further emphasized by Randle averaging 15.8 field goal attempts per game in the postseason versus 13.6 from the regular season.

Randle to make at least two three-pointers (-148) is another intriguing line. The Warriors' perimeter defense could be exposed in this series, for it gives up the 12th-lowest shot distribution from beyond the arc compared to the lowest mark around the rim. Golden State also gave up a 36.4% three-point percentage during the regular season (ninth-highest).

Even Houston -- which had the 10th-lowest three-point percentage from the regular season -- shot better than 39.0% from deep in four of seven games against the Warriors. In comparison, the Timberwolves drained 37.4% of their three-point looks in the regular season (fifth-highest).

As mentioned, Randle's jump in three-point usage has helped his increase in point production. I don't expect his hot streak to come to an end in this series.

Jimmy Butler Over 34.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-108)

While the Timberwolves' perimeter defense has been excellent, they have a more susceptible interior defense by allowing the 16th-lowest shot distribution around the rim. This is where Jimmy Butler comes in as 51.2% of his shots in the playoffs have come within 10 feet of the rim.

Over six postseason games, Butler has recorded 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. This 29.1 combined total is well short of tonight's 34.5 line. However, Butler played for 8 and 25 minutes in two of those games. He's logged 42.3 minutes per game over the four other contests and posted 38.9 combined points, rebounds, and assists per game in this split. Getting around 40 minutes per game in the postseason is nothing unusual for Butler as he's averaged 38.1 minutes per game since the 2020 postseason.

Assuming Butler gets his usual playoff minutes tonight, I'll happily take over points, rebounds, and assists. In the scoring department, he has a solid matchup to attack the rim. Butler has also excelled on the offensive glass in the playoffs, averaging 4.8 offensive rebound chances per game. Meanwhile, the Wolves ranked 13th in offensive rebounds allowed per game compared to 4th in defensive rebounds allowed per contest during the regular season.

As usual, I'm happy getting exposure to Butler in the playoffs.

You can also check out our latest 2025 NBA Playoffs printable bracket, which includes the seeding and matchups for each conference.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.