The Minnesota Timberwolves invade the crypto.com Arena to take on the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. Here’s a Lakers vs Timberwolves Prediction. This article will include a Lakers vs Timberwolves Pick.
Minnesota Timberwolves Betting Preview
The Minnesota Timberwolves will be gunning for a second straight win after outlasting the pesky Trail Blazers in a 118-114 road victory on Wednesday night. Anthony Edwards was a chance to sit out the season opener, but he made it through shootaround and was able to lead the way with 41 points on 14 of 28 shooting. Julius Randle added 19 points with seven rebounds and six assists while Jaden McDaniels chipped in with 18 points and three blocks.
As a team, the Timberwolves shot 48 percent from the field and 15 of 30 from the 3-point line as they struggled to find their groove early on and trailed for most of the contest. Before they went on a crucial 20-9 run in the fourth quarter to take the lead for good and earn the narrow road victory.
Los Angeles Lakers Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers will be hoping to bounce back in this meeting after coming up short against the Warriors in a disappointing 119-109 home defeat on Tuesday night. Luka Doncic looked to be in midseason form as he led the team with 43 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists on 17 of 27 shooting. Austin Reaves added 26 points with nine assists on nine of 16 shooting, while Deandre Ayton chipped in with 10 points on five of seven shooting, but no other player finished in double figures in scoring.
As a team, the Lakers shot a healthy 54 percent from the field compared to the Warriors’ 48 percent, but they got outscored from the 3-point line by 51-24 while committing a total of 19 turnovers. The Lakers finished with a flurry at the end of the first half to keep the scores close, but were always trailing after allowing the Warriors to catch fire early in the third quarter.
Why the Los Angeles Lakers will win
- The Lakers have won eight of their last nine games as home underdogs against Northwest Division opponents following a loss.
- The Timberwolves have lost 20 of their last 23 games when playing with a rest disadvantage against the Lakers.
- The home team has covered the spread in each of the Timberwolves’ last seven games.
- The Timberwolves have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four road games.
Why the Minnesota Timberwolves will win
- The Timberwolves have won each of their last 15 games as favorites against the Lakers.
- The Lakers have lost each of their last four games.
- The Timberwolves have covered the spread in each of their last seven games against Lakers teams that held a losing record.
- The Lakers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five games as underdogs.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Timberwolves’ last nine games against the Lakers following a road win have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Seven of the last eight night games between the Timberwolves and Lakers have gone UNDER the total points line.
Los Angeles Lakers Player Facts
- Luka Doncic is the only qualified player ranked top 10 in the league for both points (43.0) and assists (9.0) per game this season.
- Austin Reaves ranks T7th amongst qualified players for assists per game (9.0) this season.
Minnesota Timberwolves Player Facts
- Naz Reid ranks T1st amongst qualified players for FT% (100.0%) this season.
- Anthony Edwards ranks T1st amongst qualified players for FT% (100.0%) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Lakers rank 30th in the league for blocks per game this season (2.0).
- The Lakers rank 30th in the league for opponent free throw percentage this season (89.7%).
- The Timberwolves rank 1st in the league for three-point percentage this season (50.0%).
- The Timberwolves rank 1st in the league for Q4 opponent points per game this season (19.0).
Lakers vs Timberwolves Prediction
The Timberwolves don’t have a single player listed on the injury report, while the Lakers are still playing without LeBron James and Maxi Kleber. The Timberwolves really had to scrap, but they were able to get the job done against the Trail Blazers in their first game of the season. Meanwhile, the Lakers couldn’t get past the Warriors despite a monster game from Doncic.
The Lakers didn’t provide enough support to Doncic in their season opener and I just get the feeling that we’re about to see the similar result in this one against the elite defense of the Timberwolves. This one could go either way but I prefer a play on the Timberwolves at the short line in this spot.