Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Washington Wizards Picks and Prediction for Sunday, January 4, 2026
Minnesota Timberwolves (21-13) vs. Washington Wizards (9-24)
The NBA betting action continues Sunday, January 4, 2026, with the Minnesota Timberwolves facing off against the Washington Wizards in the cross-conference clash at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, so we’ve prepared the Timberwolves vs. Wizards prediction to get you covered.
Minnesota and Washington close down their two-game regular-season set. Back in November, the Timberwolves beat the Wizards 120-109 as 16.5-point home favorites. Last season, they split a two-game set, with each team emerging victorious on the road.
Read more about this Timberwolves vs. Wizards prediction, and check out all our NBA picks for Sunday’s card. The tip-off at Capital One Arena is set at 6:00 PM ET.
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The Timberwolves play without rest
Saturday’s games have been excluded from this preview, and the Minnesota Timberwolves visited the Miami Heat on Saturday afternoon. The T-Wolves have struggled a bit lately, dropping three of their previous four contests.
Last Monday, Minnesota snapped its two-game skid with a 136-101 dismantling of the Chicago Bulls. The Timberwolves started their four-game road trip in style, making 53.7% of their field goals (15-for-37 from deep) and committing just five turnovers.
Two days later, the Timberwolves suffered a heavy 126-102 defeat at the Atlanta Hawks. Minnesota shot 42.5% from the field (14-for-40 from deep) and committed six more turnovers than Atlanta (16-10). Anthony Edwards led the way for the T-Wolves with 30 points.
Edwards is Minnesota’s leading scorer with 29.1 points per game. Julius Randle averages 22.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, while Naz Reid adds 14.0 points and 6.3 boards a night. The Timberwolves rank eighth in the NBA in adjusted offensive efficiency (117.5 points per 100 possessions) and sixth in adjusted defensive efficiency (113.4).
The Wizards eye their third straight W
The Washington Wizards have surprisingly won four of their previous five contests. They sandwiched a 115-101 defeat to the Phoenix Suns with a couple of wins over the Toronto Raptors 138-117 and the Memphis Grizzlies 116-112, and a pair of victories against the Milwaukee Bucks 114-113 and the Brooklyn Nets 119-99.
On New Year’s Eve, the Wizards stunned the Bucks as 10.5-point road underdogs. Washington went 19-for-39 from deep, and Bub Carrington led the charge with 20 points (6-for-11 from deep). Two days later, the Wizards cruised past the injury-depleted Nets, and Justin Champagnie led the charge with 20 points and eight rebounds.
CJ McCollum is the Wizards’ leading scorer with 18.5 points per game, while Alex Sarr tallies 17.7 points and 8.0 boards a night. Kyshawn George averages 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, but he’s in danger of missing his fifth straight game due to a hip injury.
The Wizards score 111.6 points per 100 possessions (27th in the NBA) and allow 121.9 points in return (29th). Their defense is ninth in 2-point percentage (54.1%) and 21st in 3-point percentage (36.6%). The Wizards are dead last in the league in defensive rebound percentage (70.3%).
Timberwolves vs. Wizards Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tony Karpinski | +2,209.00 |
| 2 |  Joe Duffy | +2,157.00 |
| 3 |  The Insiders Room | +1,788.00 |
| 4 |  Terry Edelmann | +1,591.00 |
| 5 |  Jackie Mack | +1,480.00 |
Spread Pick for Timberwolves vs. Wizards
- Washington Wizards (4 units)
Minnesota is undoubtedly a better team than Washington, but the Timberwolves might struggle to beat the number on the second day of a back-to-back set. The T-Wolves had a tough road clash against Miami on Saturday, whereas the Wizards enjoyed a day off.
The Wizards have done a great job against the number lately, going 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games overall. Their defense has improved, though the Wizards are still 30th in the NBA in defensive turnover percentage (10.5%).
At least, the Wizards hit 36.3% of their shots from deep (tied for 12th). Over their last five outings, the Wizards have shot 39.8% from deep. I will take my shot with the Wizards, who are 11-1 ATS in their previous 12 meetings with the Timberwolves.
Over/Under Pick for Timberwolves vs. Wizards
- Under (4 units)
As I noted, the Wizards’ defense has improved lately. Washington hasn’t allowed more than 117 points in five straight outings, and that’s a huge success for this Wizards team. The under has hit in six of the Wizards’ previous seven games overall and four of their last six dates with the Timberwolves.
The Wizards are ninth in the league in pace (101.0 possessions per 48 minutes), while the Timberwolves rank 17th in this category (100.1). I expect the Timberwolves to slow things down. They met Miami on Saturday, and the Heat play at the fastest pace in the NBA.
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