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Raptors vs. Timberwolves Prediction, Spread, NBA Picks for Thursday, March 5

Minnesota Timberwolves PF Julius Randle dribbles up the floor against the Houston Rockets.
AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Two teams marching towards the playoffs face each other Thursday when the Toronto Raptors (35-26) take on the Minnesota Timberwolves (39-23) at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Below, we’ll break down our Raptors vs. Timberwolves prediction and picks for Thursday night’s game. Make your NBA picks on PrizePicks and earn real money if you’re right, including on game winners, spreads, and totals!

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Raptors vs. Timberwolves Prediction, Spread, Over/Under

Both the Raptors (112.1) and the Timberwolves (112.2) rank inside the top 10 in the league in defensive rating. However, the Raptors are 17th in offensive rating (113.7), whereas the Timberwolves rank ninth (116.5).

The edge for the Timberwolves in this game could be their 3-point shooting, where they're fifth-best at 37.4%. Meanwhile, the Raptors rank 25th in 3-point shooting percentage allowed (37.9%) over their last 10 games.

Raptors vs. Timberwolves Spread, Over/Under

The Timberwolves enter Thursday’s game as 4.5-point favorites at home, returning a 1.42x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.

The Raptors are underdogs on the road with a 2.77x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks, where you can earn money with your picks in 34 states.

  • Spread: Minnesota Timberwolves -4.5
  • Over/Under: 225.5
  • Gamer Winner Payout: Timberwolves 1.42x | Raptors 2.77x

Team Picks data is live as of writing and is subject to change.


Raptors vs. Timberwolves Injury Report

Let’s dive into the full Raptors vs. Timberwolves injury report for Thursday, via NBA.com.

Toronto Raptors Injury Report

  • F Brandon Ingram (thumb): Questionable
  • F-C Collin Murray-Boyles (thumb): OUT

Minnesota Timberwolves Injury Report

  • F Joe Ingles (personal): OUT
  • SG Anthony Edwards (foot): Questionable

Raptors vs. Timberwolves Prediction on Spread

Here are the key stats to know before locking in your Raptors vs. Timberwolves prediction on spread for Thursday, March 5 on PrizePicks.

  • The Timberwolves are only 13-19 against the spread at home, including 11-17 as home favorites.
  • The Raptors are 17-11-1 ATS on the road. As road underdogs, they are 10-5 ATS.
  • Toronto has won three straight road games, with each victory coming by at least 9 points.
  • Ingram has only missed two games. One was a 125-117 road loss to the Boston Celtics, while the other was a 116-115 home victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Raptors vs. Timberwolves Picks for PrizePicks Today: 3/5/26

Here are top Raptors vs. Timberwolves picks to target for Thursday, March 5, on PrizePicks. Today’s NBA picks for PrizePicks are headlined by Timberwolves PF Julius Randle and Raptors G-F RJ Barrett.

Timberwolves PF Julius Randle vs. Raptors Projection: 18.5 Points

  • Randle scored 18 or fewer points in eight of his last 11 games. During that span, he's shot 22.2% from behind the arc.
  • The veteran big man only shoots 28.5% from deep at home, compared to 34.6% on the road.
  • The Raptors give up the eighth-fewest points in the paint per game (47.4).
  • The last time he faced the Raptors, Randle scored 17 points on 7-for-18 shooting in a 128-126 win for Minnesota.

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Raptors G-F RJ Barrett vs. Timberwolves Projection: 17.5 Points

  • Barrett has scored 17 or fewer points in five of eight games since returning from injury.
  • The former New York Knick has failed to reach 18 points in five of his last six road games. The only time he surpassed 17 points was against a Washington Wizards team that has the second-worst defensive rating (120.2) in the NBA.
  • Barrett’s usage rate is 25.1%, down from 28.7% last season.
  • The last time these teams clashed, the 25-year-old was held to 13 points on 4-for-12 shooting from the field.

Timberwolves F Jaden McDaniels vs. Raptors Projection: 13.5 Points

  • Timberwolves F Jaden McDaniels averaged 17.1 points over his last 14 games. During that stretch, he scored at least 14 points 10 times.
  • The former first-round pick is shooting a career-high 44.1% from behind the arc, leaving him to provide 15.2 PPG.
  • McDaniels is converting his free throw attempts at a career-high rate of 85.1%.
  • In his previous matchup with the Raptors, McDaniels came away with 19 points in 40 minutes. He shot 8-for-13 from the field.

Make Raptors vs. Timberwolves Picks on PrizePicks

In what could be a defensive struggle Thursday, Randle and Barrett may be fighting a uphill battles to score for their respective teams. Even with how well the Raptors have played on defense, McDaniels aims to thrive in the scoring department against them again.

You can make your Raptors vs. Timberwolves picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 34 states.

Stick around with the Playbook for continued NBA predictions, picks, and news every day until the 2026 NBA Finals.

Get in the game! Sign up for PrizePicks and cash in on your sports predictions. Play $5 and get $50 instantly in Lineups with promo code PLAYBOOK.

Team Picks and Culture Picks are event contracts offered by Performance Predictions II, LLC d/b/a PrizePicks Predict, a CFTC-registered FCM and NFA Member. All event contract customers must be U.S. residents and 18+. Some event contracts may not be available in every state. Event contract trading carries significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. No guarantee against loss is offered. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results. Void where prohibited by law. Restrictions apply. For full terms of service see prizepicks.com/predict-regulatory. Team and Culture Pick Early Payouts subject to market liquidity. The content provided is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, or a recommendation to trade any commodity interest.

about the author

Mike Barner has been covering fantasy sports since 2007. He specializes in the NBA, NFL, and MLB. He is a two-time finalist for the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Basketball Writer of the Year award and won the 2021-22 FSGA NBA Experts Champions league. In addition to PrizePicks, Mike has written for Sports Illustrated, RotoWire, SportsLine, and more.

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