The No. 3 seed Minnesota Timberwolves and the No. 5 seed Dallas Mavericks square off in a pivotal Game 5 showdown in the Western Conference finals on Thursday. The Timberwolves finally pulled off a win, beating the Mavericks 105-100 in Game 4. Dallas leads the series 3-1. Tipoff from the Target Center in Minnesota is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. Minnesota is at -196 on the money line.

The Timberwolves are 5-point favorites and the over/under for total points scored is 209.5 in the latest NBA odds from the SportsLine consensus for Game 5 of Mavericks vs. Timberwolves (see up-to-date odds for every game this week on our NBA odds page). 

Before you make any Mavericks vs. Timberwolves picks, you NEED to see what legendary handicapper Bruce Marshall has to say.

Marshall, who for years was synonymous with the Gold Sheet, a famed sports betting newsletter, is an in-demand guest on numerous sports talk radio and TV shows across the country. Marshall's vast array of editorial work has been featured in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the New York Post and many other outlets. He has won various handicapping titles and also is working on several book projects. Marshall has crushed his NBA picks this season for SportsLine members, entering this matchup on a 193-142 run that has returned more than $3,700 for $100 players. Anyone following has seen HUGE returns!

Marshall knows Dallas guard Luka Doncic has the skill set to impact the game in a variety of ways. He's a top-notch passer with a smooth jumper on the perimeter. Doncic averages team-highs in points (28.3), rebounds (9.6), and assists (9.1). In Game 4, he finished with 28 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists.

He is also aware Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards continues to be the best on the floor for his squad. Edwards is doing a great job getting his teammates involved but creates his own shot at a high rate. The 2020 first-overall pick ranks first on the team in points (27.5), assists (6.5), and steals (1.5). In Tuesday's win, Edwards had 29 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists.

For Game 5, Marshall is going Under on the total. He's also found a critical x-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread! 

Who wins Mavericks vs. Timberwolves, and what critical x-factor has Marshall jumping on one side of the spread? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of the spread you should be all over, all from the expert on a 193-142 run on NBA picks!