The NBA regular season is in the books, and the Lakers are in the postseason despite their early struggles and criticism throughout the year.
It seems their trade deadline acquisitions of D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Malik Beasley were worth it, as all three players will now have a revenge game — if you believe in that — during the first game of the Play-In Tournament.
Despite knocking off the Pelicans to secure the eighth seed in the West, the Timberwolves had a tumultuous final game of the season. There was an altercation on the bench between Rudy Gobert and Kyle Anderson, with Gobert throwing a punch at Anderson.
The team sent Gobert home after the incident and have suspended him for this matchup against the Lakers on Tuesday night.
Wolves rising star Jaden McDaniels will also miss the game after fracturing his hand by punching the wall on his way into the locker room. These self-inflicted losses could be the nail in the coffin of Minnesota’s season.
Let’s dive into the odds and best bets for this matchup between the Lakers and Timberwolves.
Lakers vs Timberwolves Odds
NBA odds used for these best bets are current as of April 10 at 11 a.m. ET and were found at DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Lakers (-275) • Timberwolves (+230)
- Spread: Lakers -7 (-110) • Timberwolves +7 (-110)
- Total Points: Over 229.5 (-110) • Under 229.5 (-110)
Lakers vs Timberwolves Prediction
Lakers 124, Timberwolves 110
Father time does not relate to LeBron James, who averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in his 38-year-old season. The Timberwolves won the regular season series between the two teams 2-1, but in the one game where both teams were at full strength, the Lakers won 123-111.
Read more of our NBA Playoffs betting tips for this series:
Both teams have dealt with their share of injuries throughout the year, but the Lakers are the healthier team right now. This is a great matchup for Anthony Davis, who poured in 38 points in his last game against Minnesota.
Third-year star Anthony Edwards will have to step up for the Wolves if they are going to have any chance of winning this game. He is averaging 24.6 points this season, but after trading Russell, he has had to shoulder more of the offensive responsibilities.
Lakers vs Timberwolves Best Bets
Lakers -7 (-110) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Lakers have turned a corner and currently have better odds of winning the NBA title than their potential first-round opponents, the Memphis Grizzlies. The Lakers have a depth issue, but James turns it up to another level in the postseason.
Karl-Anthony Towns is back from injury and had a big game against the Pelicans the other night, but he will have difficulty stopping Davis in this matchup without Gobert. The more significant loss for the Wolves might be McDaniels, who is the exact type of defender you would want to match up against James.
The Timberwolves are trending in the wrong direction and their team chemistry is in flux right now. Back the Lakers to comfortably win this game at home.
Over 229.5 Total Points (-110) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Both these teams sit in the top 10 league-wide in pace of play as the Lakers rank fourth and the Wolves sit seventh. The two sides scored a combined 234 in their most-recent matchup and the Lakers have been on an absolute tear recently.
Los Angeles is averaging 125.7 points over its last seven games and the Wolves scored 151 points two games ago. I expect the Lakers to be leading for the majority of this game which will lead to more three-point attempts from the Wolves, which will tilt the game to the Over.
