Here we have the Lakers vs Timberwolves Betting Odds, a preview, and prediction for this NBA Play-In Tournament game.
The Play-In Tournament bracket has been finalized following the conclusion of the 2022–23 regular season.
The Lakers will play the Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 11, with the No. 7 seed on the line after a wild finish in the Western Conference. In the opening round of the playoffs, the victor of this game will take on the No. 2 seed Grizzlies.
Both teams have participated in the Play-In Tournament before.
In the Play-In game in 2021, LeBron James and Anthony Davis guided the Lakers to the playoffs by defeating Stephen Curry and the Warriors to earn the No. 7 seed.
After defeating the undermanned Clippers in the Play-In game to earn the No. 7 seed last season, the Timberwolves qualified for the playoffs for just the second time in the previous 18 seasons.
After winning the Play-In Tournament, neither club advanced past the first round, falling to the Suns and the Grizzlies, respectively. They will attempt to modify that fortune this time.
The Sporting News has you covered below with all you need to know before the Lakers-Timbewolves Play-In game.
Lakers vs Timberwolves Betting Odds
Here are the Lakers vs Timberwolves Betting Odds, brought to you by YouWager.lv:
- Timberwolves: Point Spread +7 -115, Moneyline +227
- Lakers: Point Spread -7 -105, Moneyline -275
- Total 229 -110 Over/Under
Learn everything you need to know about placing a bet on sports with this easy guide. Then, head to YouWager.lv and place a bet on your favorite pick:
Regular-season Lakers vs Timberwolves 2022–23 series
Minnesota defeated Los Angeles in the season series by winning two of the three games.
- Timberwolves 111, Lakers 102 on October 28, 2022
- March 3, 2023: Lakers 102, Timberwolves 110
- Lakers 123, Timberwolves 111, March 31, 2023
This season, the Timberwolves only faced the Lakers with James and Davis in that one game, which they lost.
Anthony Edwards (29 points), Rudy Gobert (22) and Karl-Anthony Towns (21) combined for 72 points in a victory against James without Davis in their first meeting.
Despite Davis’s 38-point outburst in their second game without James, the Timberwolves managed to win without Towns because five players scored in double figures.
With both teams nearing full strength, Los Angeles trounced Minnesota in their most recent meeting because to 38 points and 17 rebounds from Davis. Edwards struggled, ending with 11 points on 4-for-16 shooting from the field.
After the Timberwolves’ final regular-season game on Sunday, Edwards was questioned about playing the Lakers in the Play-In. He still had vivid memories of that previous meeting.
“Man, I’m ready. I played like s— the last time I played them. I’m eager to sit on the floor, so “According to Timberwolves beat writer Dane Moore, he informed the media.
Key plot line for the Lakers vs Timberwolves matchup: Will Rudy Gobert be available?
In their final game of the regular season, the Timberwolves’ circumstances could not have been worse.
During a timeout, star center Gobert and his teammate Kyle Anderson got into a furious altercation. When tensions rose, Gobert lunged at Anderson and struck his teammate in the chest. The Timberwolves were forced to play the entirety of the second half of a game with significant playoff implications without one of their finest players after sending Gobert home for his behavior.
Even though it lost some crucial players in the process, Minnesota nevertheless defeated the Pelicans to secure the No. 8 spot in the West.
The Timberwolves have not yet decided whether to suspend Gobert for their Play-In Game against the Lakers on Tuesday, so that choice will be a key one to watch on Monday.
But hold on, there’s more.
Jaden McDaniels, a potential All-Defensive Team member, also got into a fight with Gobert and then punched a wall on his way into the locker room. McDaniels broke his right hand during the game, and it was confirmed afterward that he would miss the rest of the campaign.
The bad news keeps getting worse for Minnesota, which is already without influential reserve center Naz Reid after the injury he sustained with only five games left in the season.
Can the Timberwolves be able to defeat James, Davis, and company when they enter the Play-In Tournament and snag the No. 7 seed?
Lakers vs Timberwolves Prediction
Expectation: Lakers victory
I would choose the Lakers even if the Timberwolves were at full strength, had Gobert become available, and had both McDaniels and Reid returned to health. I don’t see how the Timberwolves can prevent James and Davis from utterly dominating this game with Gobert’s availability uncertain, McDaniels out, and Reid out as well.
Davis played Minnesota twice this year, scoring 38.0 points and pulling down 11.0 rebounds per game. James just finished the regular season with one of his best performances, scoring 36 points, grabbing six rebounds, and dishing out six assists.
The Lakers are regaining their form just in time.
