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The L.A lakers will be in Minneapolis on Wednesday as they prepare to face the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. This is their second meeting of the season, with the Lakers winning 128-110 in their first meeting.
The Lakers come into this game coming off a huge 122-108 loss against the Portland Trail Blazers at home. This loss brings their season record to 2-2, highlighting their struggle for consistency. Likewise, the Timberwolves also have a 2-2 record after falling to the Denver Nuggets in their last outing.
With both teams looking to bounce back and get into the win column, the game is expected to be hotly contested as the Timberwolves also look to avenge their loss to the Lakers earlier this season. The two teams aren't far in the standings either, as the Lakers are ranked seventh, while the Timberwolves are ranked eighth.
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LA Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves odds
Moneyline: Lakers +225, Timberwolves -275
Spread: Lakers +6.5 (-105), Timberwolves -6.5 (-115)
Total over/under (o/u): Lakers o223.5 (-115), Timberwolves u223.5 (-105)
Note: Odds are subject to change closer to kickoff
LA Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
The Lakers have had a mixed start to the season. After losing the season opener to the Golden State Warriors, the team bounced back with back-to-back wins against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings before losing to the Portland Trail Blazers in the final game.
The Purple and Gold's struggles this season have mostly stemmed from their front court. Despite adding Deandre Ayton, the absence of early season LeBron James and the lack of defensive support from their wings has hurt them badly. However, their back track duet of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves has been elite.
The Slovenian has averaged 46 points and 11 rebounds, but has missed the last two games with a finger injury. Meanwhile, Reaves enters this game after dropping 51 and 41 points against the Kings and Trail Blazers, respectively.
On the other hand, the Timberwolves have struggled on both ends of the floor through their first four games. Averaging 114.0 points per game offensively, Minnesota is giving up 119.8 points per game, which hurts their ability to close out games.
Offensively, the Timberwolves have been led by Anthony Edwardsbut the guard is expected to miss two weeks of action with a hamstring injury. In his absence, Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels will be tasked with leading the team in scoring, but the duo will need to help Rudy Gobert on defense if they want to win on Wednesday.
LA Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves predicted starting five
LA Lakers
PG- Austin Reaves, SG- Jake LaRavia, SF- Jared Vanderbilt, PF- Rui Hachimura, C- Deandre Ayton
Minnesota Timberwolves
PG- Mike Conley, SG- Don DiVincenzo, SF- Jaden McDaniels, PF- Julius Randle, C- Rudy Gobert
LA Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves Betting Tips
Austin Reaves is in great shape and will serve as a great pick. The guard is projected to score 30.5 points and offers odds of -111 for over 29.5 points scored.
Julius Randle is projected to score 23.56 points and offers odds of -113 to score under 24.5 points.
LA Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves Prediction
Despite defeating the Timberwolves earlier this season, the Lakers are not favorites to win this game. They will be without Luka Doncic, who scored 49 points in that matchup, and without a proper creator in the backcourt. This should serve as a perfect opportunity for Minnesota to get the win.
Our prediction: Timberwolves win
Edited by Arian Kashyap
