L.a. Lakers Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves Picks and Predictions October 22nd 2024

Lakers vs Timberwolves October 22nd 2024

At 10:00 ET, the Minnesota Timberwolves (-121) will travel to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers (+101) in a Western Conference matchup. The Timberwolves are favored by 1.5 points and the over/under line is set at 219.

This game will be played at Crypto.com Arena and can be seen on TNT.

Timberwolves vs. Lakers Key Information

Ranked 7th in our pre-season power rankings, the Timberwolves have an 82.8% chance of making the playoffs and an 18.7% chance of winning their division. Last season, they finished 56-26, placing 3rd in the Western Conference. At home, they were 30-11 with a +8.2 scoring margin, and on the road, they went 26-15 with a +4.7 margin. They were 12-4 in division games, finishing 3rd in the Northwest Division.

Minnesota was 38-43 against the spread and had a 42-40 over/under record, with their games averaging 219.5 points. They were favored in 63 games, going 47-16, but had a 29-33 ATS record in those matchups. As the underdog, they were 9-10 both straight-up and ATS.

Minnesota enters the season ranked 16th in our offensive power rankings after finishing 18th in points per game (113.0) last season. The Timberwolves were 21st in possessions per game (97.0) and 29th in field goal attempts per game (85.0), but they made the most of their opportunities, shooting 48.5% from the field (10th). They were 3rd in three-point percentage (38.7%), making 12.6 threes per game (15th) on 32.7 attempts (23rd). Minnesota also ranked 8th in free throw attempts per game (22.9) and 25th in offensive rebounds per game (9.4).

Anthony Edwards is projected to lead the Timberwolves in scoring, ranking 7th in our league-wide projections. He averaged 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists last season. New addition Donte DiVincenzo is projected to be the team’s 4th-leading scorer and 2nd in three-pointers made. He averaged 15.5 points per game for the Knicks last season. Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley are projected to be the 3rd and 6th-leading scorers, respectively, with Conley also ranking 3rd on the team in projected three-pointers made.

Last season, the Timberwolves were the top defensive team in the NBA, allowing a league-low 106.5 points per game. We expect more of the same this year, as they are ranked 1st in our defensive power rankings. Minnesota held opponents to 45.1% shooting, the second-lowest mark in the league, and limited them to 35.6% from beyond the arc, ranking 9th in three-point defense.

Rudy Gobert, one of the NBA’s premier shot-blockers, leads the Timberwolves’ defense, with strong rebounding support from Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards. Minnesota ranked 5th in blocked shots last season, averaging 6.1 per game, and were also 5th in defensive rebounding. They finished 6th in steals, with 7.9 per game.

The Lakers enter this season ranked 14th in our power rankings, with a 56.1% chance of making the playoffs and a 21.9% chance of winning the Pacific Division. Last season, Los Angeles finished 47-35, placing 3rd in their division and 7th in the Western Conference. They were 28-14 at home and 19-21 on the road.

Against the spread, the Lakers had a 35-47 record, going 20-22 at home and 15-25 on the road. They were favored in 45 games, finishing 32-13 straight-up but just 20-25 ATS. Their games averaged 235.5 points, with an O/U record of 48-34.

Ranked 13th in our offensive power rankings, the Lakers finished last season 6th in points per game (118.0) and 4th in possessions per game (101.2). They were 3rd in field goal percentage (49.9%) but 22nd in field goal attempts per game (87.5). The Lakers were 28th in three-point attempts per game (31.4), making 11.8 per game (24th) at a 37.7% clip (8th). They were 2nd in free throw attempts per game (24.2) and 15th in free throw percentage (78.2%).

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LeBron James is projected to lead the team in scoring, ranking 18th in the league. Anthony Davis is projected 25th, and D’Angelo Russell is 65th. Russell is projected to lead the team in three-pointers made, ranking 22nd in the league. Austin Reaves is projected 3rd on the team in threes, ranking 58th in the league.

Last season, the Lakers ranked 13th in our defensive power rankings, but they struggled in points allowed, giving up 117.4 per game, which was 23rd in the NBA. Opponents shot 47.5% from the field against them, placing them 17th in field-goal percentage allowed, and they were 25th in three-point defense, allowing 37.7% shooting from beyond the arc.

Inside, the Lakers were much better, holding opponents to 54.1% shooting, which ranked 10th in the league. They were also 2nd in defensive rebounding, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the way. In blocked shots, they ranked 11th, with Davis projected as one of the top shot-blockers in the NBA.

We’re backing the Timberwolves for a victory, with the projected score at 138-117. Additionally, we favor them to cover the spread, so we recommend placing a bet on the Timberwolves at -1.5.

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 219, and our model projects the Timberwolves and Lakers to reach a combined total of 255 points. Our bet is on taking the over.