The Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves meet Sunday in Game 4 of a best-of-7 Western Conference, 2nd-round series. The Timberwolves lead the series 2-1. Tip-off from Target Center is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET (TNT). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Nuggets vs. Timberwolves odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions.

The Nuggets are starting to show signs of life in this series after a 117-90 road victory in Game 3 Friday. Denver won straight up as a 3.5-point underdog and did most of the heavy lifting to help the Over (205.5) hit.

C Nikola Jokic and G Jamal Murray each had 24 points for the Nuggets, who can regain home-court advantage with a victory Sunday.

Minnesota’s 90 points in Friday’s loss was its lowest scoring output since an 89-88 setback against the LA Clippers March 3. The Over/Under for points scored by G Anthony Edwards was set at 27.5, and he finished with 19 after taking just 15 shots (8 for 15).

The Timberwolves covered and the Under hit in the 1st 2 games of this series.

Nuggets at Timberwolves odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:01 p.m. ET.

• Moneyline (ML): Nuggets +125 (bet $100 to win $125) | Timberwolves -150 (bet $150 to win $100)
• Against the spread (ATS): Nuggets +2.5 (-105) | Timberwolves -2.5 (-115)
• Over/Under (O/U): 204.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Nuggets at Timberwolves key injuries

Nuggets

• G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (abdominal) questionable
• G Reggie Jackson (calf) questionable
• G Jamal Murray (calf) questionable

Timberwolves

For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.

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Nuggets at Timberwolves picks and predictions

Prediction

Nuggets 100, Timberwolves 99

Moneyline

While I like the Nuggets (+125) at these odds, it’s tough to fade the Timberwolves (-150) in back-to-back home games. What we do know is that Minnesota’s No. 1-ranked defense should bounce back after getting blown out, and in a close, low-scoring game, this may just come down to which team gets the final possession.

PASS. Bet the spread and/or total instead.

Against the spread

The defending NBA champs were grossly undervalued by the market heading into Friday. They went from 7.5-point favorites in Game 2 to 3.5-point underdogs in Game 3. That 11-point swing was way too drastic, even when accounting for change of venue.

The Nuggets have barely been upgraded since Friday’s win, and I believe that’s a mistake.

Minnesota is a young team, and its best player, Edwards, is just 22 years old. The Timberwolves faced zero adversity in a 4-game sweep of the Phoenix Suns in the 1st round. They now have to deal with the pressure of potentially giving home-court advantage back to the defending champs.

I’ll put my money on the veterans who have proven that they can win multiple playoff series.

BET NUGGETS +2.5 (-105).

Over/Under

The Under has hit in 2 of the 3 games this series, and Minnesota’s NBA-best defense should look much better after allowing 117 points in Game 3.

This is a pivotal game in the sense that a Timberwolves victory would put them just 1 win away from the conference finals and a Nuggets upset would give them back home court. Look for both teams to play conservatively and slow down the pace.

BET UNDER 204.5 (-110).

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Dear Amy: My son “Jack” is 26 years old. Five years ago, he came out to me as gay. While this didn’t fully surprise me, it saddened me. I wanted Jack to have a traditional life. I wanted to have grandchildren.

Despite these feelings, I told him I accepted him.

Jack has lived on his own for the past several years. Recently he told me that he has been in a relationship with “Samuel” for six months. He also asked if I would be OK with him bringing Samuel home to a family function. Not knowing how to respond, I said it was fine.

While Samuel seemed nice enough, I was not prepared for the feelings that seeing them dance together and be affectionate would bring up in me.

I thought about what others were thinking. I wondered what I may have done that contributed to him being this way. I felt anger at Jack’s father for never being a positive male role model or steady presence in his life. I thought about his safety with STDs that run rampant in the gay community as well as violence toward gay men that seem to happen regularly.

I tried to play the role of the accepting mom at the party. I’m embarrassed to talk to anyone in the family about this. My daughter seems completely fine with it. I just will never be the totally accepting mom who goes to gay pride parades with her son. Will it ever get easier?

— Prideless Mom

Dear Prideless: Yes, this will get easier. One way to make things easier would be for you to stop thinking of your son’s sexuality as “it,” and start thinking of his sexuality as “Jack.”

My point is that you can’t separate a person’s identity from the person.

Many of your concerns are actually distortions. Jack can have what you refer to as a “traditional life,” with marriage and children. His choice to bring his boyfriend home to meet the family is the essence of “traditional.”

Any sexually active adult (including you) can get an STD. And if you are truly worried about violence against gay people, then be the change you want to see in the world and confront your own homophobia.

The way to make things easier would be for you to increase your exposure to the experience that frightens you.

You should spend more time with Jack and Samuel. Continue to “play the role of the accepting mom.” See how it feels and how others respond to you. Ask Jack if there are ways you could be a more supportive mom to him.

PFLAG.org is a national organization offering support for parents and family members. Their motto is “You are not alone.” You can learn more about sexuality, have your fears addressed and questions answered, and learn from other parents.

Dear Amy: All of the kids in our family were brought up with religion not being a part of our lives.

We are all over 60 now and recently my wife and I were invited over for Easter dinner at my sister’s place.

Suddenly, my brother-in-law starts saying grace.

It’s not important to me, so I just sat there.

After dinner was over, my sister said to me, “You could at least have bowed your head.”

Religion was never a part of our family and I felt it wrong for her to all of a sudden expect me to have to bend to their new beliefs.

I don’t care if they say grace, it’s just not my thing.

Your thoughts?

— No Grace for Me

Dear No Grace: Ironic, isn’t it — that you were guests at this house for Easter dinner, which — last time I checked — is a Christian holiday.

It’s simple good manners to respect other people’s faith practices, especially while in their homes. In my opinion, this respect can be demonstrated by sitting quietly while they say a blessing, and not judging them afterward.

I don’t think it is necessary to bow your head, but would you bow your head if a blessing was being said at a sports stadium? If so, then you should do so at someone’s table.

Dear Amy: I’m just offering an “atta girl” for offering my family so many years of great conversations. We often read your column at the dinner table and then try to guess your response.

— Old Fan

Dear Old Fan: Thank you so much. I love the idea that this column inspires conversations around the kitchen table and in the office breakroom.

(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)

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At Notre Dame, running back Audric Estime was fearsome.

Playing with power and strength, exemplified by his Hulk-like arms, Estime was wrecking a ball, mowing down or even leaping over tacklers that stood in his way.

Even with shorts and a practice jersey during the Broncos’ rookie minicamp on Saturday afternoon, the fifth-round pick still looked like an imposing figure that someone wouldn’t want to get in front of when he’s moving at full speed.

The addition of Estime and undrafted rookie free agent Blake Watson has created an interesting competition within Denver’s running back room that will be closely monitored throughout the team’s offseason program and training camp. The Broncos have Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine and Jaleel McLaughlin already under contract. Still, they added two running backs who have the potential to have key roles in Year 1.

“All these guys, they’re all competing for different roles, spots,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton said. “… I think that we never put a cap on what they’re competing for.”

After the Broncos lacked juice in the run game in 2023, competition was likely needed. Denver finished tied for 21st in yards per carry (four) and 28th in rushing touchdowns (eight). The Broncos rushed for under 100 yards in three of the final four games. Although Williams’ return from a torn ACL was remarkable, he averaged 3.6 yards per carry and didn’t surpass 50 rushing yards in the final four games.

Meanwhile, Perine’s game was limited to third downs and being a check down target.

Estime and Watson present two different skill sets that could be beneficial to Denver’s backfield. Estime is a power back who can generate yards after contact. In 2023, he rushed for 1,348 yards and 18 touchdowns, and in the final college game of his career he exploded for 238 yards and four touchdowns in a win at Stanford last November.

He also accumulated 892 yards after contact (4.27 per attempt) and 38 runs for over 10 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. Williams averaged 2.71 yards after contact while Perine had 2.92, according to PFF.

While Payton values Estime’s power and physicality, he is intrigued by Watson’s pass-catching ability. The former Memphis running back caught 53 passes for 480 yards and three touchdowns, while averaging 9.1 yards per catch.

Payton didn’t want to compare Watson to Saints running back Alvin Kamara, but both players had similar traits coming out of college.

“We saw a player that was (a) natural catching the ball,” Payton said. “That was a big draw. When we read a player, that was a draw to his vision.”

Denver’s running back competition will be one of the biggest ones to watch. Payton said on the last day of the NFL draft that Estime is viewed as a first- and second-down runner. If he flourished in that role during training camp, what happens to Williams and Perine, both of whom are in the final year of their deals?

Last season, the Broncos carried three running backs and fullback Michael Burton on the initial 53-man roster. Denver could very well have four running backs on the roster. Even still, how they split up the carries and roles is entirely up in the air.

“I want to see it, and then we’ll go by what we see,” Payton said. “That was the case with Jaleel a year ago. He sat here as an undrafted free agent that was going through the workouts, and then pretty soon you began to see it.”

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