Timberwolves vs. Lakers Prediction
The eighth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves head to L.A. to face the 7th-seeded Lakers on Tuesday night at 10:00 PM ET on TNT in the first round of the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Can the Lakers cover the 8-point spread as home favorites?
The Minnesota Timberwolves are 42-40 on the season. They are 7-3 in their last 10 games. The Timberwolves are 40-42 ATS on the year.
The Los Angeles Lakers are 43-39 on the season. They’re 8-2 in their last 10 games. The Lakers are 40-41-1 ATS on the year.
Game Matchup & Betting Odds
563 Minnesota Timberwolves (+8) at 564 Los Angeles Lakers (-8); O/U 231.5
10:00 PM ET, Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Timberwolves vs. Lakers Public Betting Information
Our NBA Public Betting Information page indicates that 61% of public bettors are currently backing the Lakers -8 in this contest. Note that these numbers are subject to change, so be sure to check the link to receive the most up-to-date public betting data.
Minnesota Timberwolves DFS Spin
Minnesota will be without multiple key contributors on Tuesday. Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert is suspended for the play-in game for punching teammate Kyle Anderson during the team’s final regular season game on Sunday. In that same game, Minnesota small forward Jaden McDaniels punched a wall and broke multiple bones in his hand, putting him out indefinitely.
Minnesota center Karl-Anthony Towns and shooting guard Jaylen Nowell are both listed as questionable for Tuesday’s tilt with L.A. Towns has a calf strain and Nowell has a knee ailment. Minnesota backup center Naz Reid injured his wrist at the end of March, and he will miss the rest of the season. The Timberwolves will likely utilize some smaller lineups due to their lack of healthy frontcourt depth on Tuesday.
Los Angeles Lakers DFS Spin
Lakers’ small forward LeBron James is still playing at an elite level at age 38. James is averaging 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 2.2 made three-pointers per game while shooting 50% from the field this season. He’s stepped up in the playoffs many times before so he may be a valuable DFS option at small forward in the Lakers’ first playoff game of 2023.
Los Angeles point guard D’Angelo Russell may have a little extra motivation as he faces his former club on Tuesday. Minnesota shipped Russell out at the trading deadline, and the former Ohio State Buckeye is averaging 17.4 points, 6.1 assists, and 2.7 made three-pointers per game in 17 contests with Los Angeles this season. Russell is a streaky player and may be in for a big day against his former team on Tuesday.
Timberwolves vs. Lakers NBA Betting Trends
Minnesota is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games against a team with a winning straight-up record.
Minnesota is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games.
Minnesota is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games against the Lakers in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles is 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.
Timberwolves vs. Lakers NBA Prediction
Minnesota won’t have Rudy Gobert or Jaden McDaniels for this game as they both had unfortunate incidents in the team’s last regular season game on Sunday. Paradoxically, I think the absence of Gobert may help the Timberwolves. Gobert isn’t a very skilled offensive player, so his presence can clog things up for Minnesota’s wings and guards who want to drive to the rim. Gobert’s absence may also free up Minnesota center Karl-Anthony Towns to play inside more, instead of being forced to drift out to the three-point line. There’s also the fact that Minnesota will be the clear underdog in this game, and next to no one is giving them any chance of winning. The Timberwolves did actually win their game against the Pelicans on Sunday, despite Gobert punching a teammate and McDaniels punching a wall. In a contrarian play, I’ll take the Timberwolves and the points on the road in L.A.
NBA BETTING PREDICTION: MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES +8