On Thursday’s NBA schedule, the Los Angeles Lakers will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in an intriguing Western Conference matchup. Los Angeles has a record of 35-21 overall and 20-7 at home, whilst Minnesota has a record of 32-27 overall and 16-13 on the road. The Timberwolves have secured victories in two of three encounters with the Lakers this season, with the home club prevailing in all three contests.
The game is scheduled to commence at 10:30 p.m. ET at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Lakers are favored by 5.5 points in the current Timberwolves vs. Lakers odds, as per the SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points is set at 228. The Lakers are -202 on the money line (stake $202 to win $100), whilst the Timberwolves are +168 (stake $100 to win $168). Prior to making any selections for the Lakers vs. Timberwolves matchup, it is advisable to see the NBA forecasts generated by the sophisticated computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates each NBA game 10,000 times and has generated over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 bettors on its highest-rated NBA selections over the past six seasons. The model commences Week 19 of the 2024-25 NBA season with an impressive record of 147-106 on all premium NBA selections since last season, yielding approximately $4,000 in returns. This season, it boasts an impressive record of 18-10 (64%) on premier spread selections. Individuals monitoring sportsbooks and betting applications may have observed substantial profits.
The model has focused on the matchup between Los Angeles and Minnesota. Visit SportsLine to view its selections. Below are some NBA betting lines for the Timberwolves versus the Lakers:
Lakers versus Timberwolves spread: Lakers -5.5
Lakers versus Timberwolves over/under: 228 points
Lakers vs. Timberwolves money line: Lakers -202, Timberwolves +168
The Timberwolves have a record of 7-4 against the spread as an away underdog this season.
The Lakers have a record of 8-3 against the spread in their previous 11 games.
Selections for the Lakers at Timberwolves matchup: Refer to SportsLine for insights.
Streaming of Lakers vs. Timberwolves: FuboTV (Free trial available)
Reasons the Timberwolves can succeed in covering the spread
The Timberwolves just achieved an unexpected triumph against the Thunder, defeating the top seed in the Western Conference, 131-128, in overtime on Monday. Minnesota was a 12-point underdog prior to securing an outright victory, supported by three players scoring 20 points each. The starting forward tandem of Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid significantly contributed, with McDaniels recording 27 points and 10 rebounds, while Reid added 22 points and 11 rebounds. Anthony Edwards achieved a near triple-double, recording 17 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists.
The Timberwolves will continue to be without Julius Randle (groin) and Rudy Gobert (back), however they triumphed against the top-seeded Thunder twice inside an 11-day period despite the absence of its significant big men. Minnesota possesses the sixth-ranked scoring defense, allowing 109 points per game, while restricting opponents to 45.8% shooting from the field, which ranks seventh in the league. Determine which team to select here.
Reasons the Lakers can succeed in covering the spread
The Lakers recently achieved an emotional 107-99 triumph against the Mavericks on Tuesday. Luka Doncic recorded a triple-double against his previous team, accumulating 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists. Doncic recorded 32 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists in a 123-100 triumph against a formidable Denver Nuggets club, as the revamped Lakers begin to establish chemistry rapidly.
