The Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers open their seasons Tuesday. Tip-off from Crypto.com Arena is set for 10 p.m. ET (TNT). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NBA odds around the Timberwolves vs. Lakers odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: First meeting; Timberwolves won 3-1 last season
After losing to the Dallas Mavericks 4-1 in last season’s Western Conference Finals, the Timberwolves had an interesting offseason. They shipped 4-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks in exchange for F Julius Randle, G Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop — who was waived Monday — and a future 1st-round pick.
The Lakers were knocked out in the 1st round of the playoffs last season by the Denver Nuggets in 5 games. Los Angeles is returning virtually the same roster as last season, with the biggest addition being G Dalton Knecht who was selected 17th overall out of Tennessee in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Minnesota is tied with Dallas for the 6th-shortest odds to win the NBA Finals (+1200 at BetMGM Sportsbook), and the Lakers are tied with the Orlando Magic and Golden State Warriors for the 12th-shortest (+4000).
Timberwolves at Lakers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of NBA odds. Lines last updated at 12:01 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Timberwolves -115 (bet $115 to win $100) | Lakers -105 (bet $105 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Timberwolves -1.5 (-105) | Lakers +1.5 (-115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 222.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Timberwolves at Lakers key injuries
Timberwolves
- None
Lakers
- F Christian Wood (knee) out
For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.
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Timberwolves at Lakers picks and predictions
Prediction
Lakers 113, Timberwolves 110
Moneyline
Betting the ML in this Game really comes down to how you feel about the Towns-Randle trade. The market is projecting that Minnesota will be the 3rd- to 4th-best team in the West without Towns this season — I think they’re a little worse than that.
While G Anthony Edwards is coming off a career year, leading Minnesota to the conference finals and averaging 25.9 PPG, it’s hard to bet him as a road favorite when his supporting cast is full of semi-question marks and players past their primes.
I’d rather back F LeBron James, F Anthony Davis and the continuity of the Lakers roster as home underdogs than lay -115 and hope Minnesota got better by subtraction.
BET LAKERS (-105).
Against the spread
This spread is so short that the Lakers will likely win straight up if they cover.
PASS. Bet the ML and/or total instead.
Over/Under
Despite Minnesota finishing 1st in defensive efficiency last season, its totals were closing a bit too low, making the Timberwolves a pretty decent Over bet. Minnesota was 27-22 (55.1%) to the Over in road Games last season, while the Lakers were 22-20-1 (52.4%) at home.
The continuity on the Lakers’ roster should lead to more scoring this season and ultimately help the Over hit in their home opener Tuesday.
BET OVER 222.5 (-105).
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