Trent Reinsmith
- Los Angeles has won back-to-back overtime games
- Minnesota is on a six-game losing skid
- LeBron James expected to miss time with abdominal injury
The Los Angeles Lakers have been without LeBron James for the past four games. The team is 2-2 without the star and coming off two consecutive overtime wins.
The Timberwolves started the season on a 3-1 run, but they have lost their past six games and only two of those setbacks have been close. Minnesota is coming off a 123-110 loss to Golden State on Wednesday. The Lakers matchup is the third game of a four-game road trip for the Timberwolves.
Before we break down the Timberwolves vs. Warriors matchup, check out the best NBA betting sites and our betting guide for the 2022 NBA Finals.
Timberwolves vs. Lakers Odds
Los Angeles Analysis
LeBron James has played six games for the Lakers this season. James averaged 24.8 points per game with 5.5 rebounds and 7 assists. There’s no doubt the team will miss him as he recovers from an ab injury, but losing James has not hampered the team all that much. The two overtime wins the Lakers have in their past two games show the team is deep and resilient.
Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony have played well in those two wins. Davis has scored 56 points in the past two games, while Westbrook put up 49 and Anthony added 41.
As a team, the Lakers are averaging 112.3 points for per game, which ranks them at No. 3. However, their defensive points are third-worst in the NBA so far this season. The team has allowed an average of 112.8 points per game.
Minnesota Analysis
The Timberwolves might not be racking up wins this season, but the team has some bright spots and therefore they cannot be dismissed.
One of those bright spots is Anthony Edwards. Edwards put up 48 points in the Timberwolves loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. Edwards’ standout offensive performance against the Warriors moved him to the top-scoring spot on the team. He’s averaging 25.9 points per game.
The player to watch for Minnesota is Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns is averaging 22.9 points per game to go along with 9.8 rebounds per game and 3.5 assists.
Minnesota’s points per game of 104.6 ranks them 26th in the league. The Timberwolves have allowed their opponents to average 109.6 points per game.
MyTopSportsbook’s Picks
Bet Los Angeles to win: The loss of LeBron James is not a great thing, but it is the kind of thing that can bring a team together and make them play harder for as a unit. With the star on the sidelines, the Lakers have to step up as a team and the two overtime wins show they are capable of doing so. That fact and how greatly the Timberwolves have struggled make the Lakers the pick to win.
Bet Lakers to cover the spread. The Timberwolves have not been in a close game since they dropped a 93-91 matchup with Denver in late October. I think the Lakers, despite two overtime wins that were fairly close in their past two games, will cover the 3.5 point spread on Friday.
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