LA Lakers (0-0) vs Minnesota Timberwolves (0-0)
Game Info: Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at 10:00 pm (Crypto.com Arena)
Betting Odds: LA Lakers +1.5 / Minnesota Timberwolves -1.5 --- Over/Under: 219.5
The Timberwolves vs LA Lakers
Game Preview!
Oh Yeah, it's finally the first day of the NBA regular season! The outlet Sports Ventures is all set to bring you some great value throughout the whole season. We've got some top NBA experts on board and even one of the best Bracketologists in the country for College Hoops, @bracketDom! We're super excited to tip things off with our first NBA article featuring the matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and LA Lakers at the crypto.com Arena. Check out our Minnesota Timberwolves vs LA Lakers Prediction for some insights. Stay tuned for our pick on the game!
Matchup/League Facts
The Lakers ranked 30th for second chance points (713) last season.
The Lakers ranked 30th for second chance points per game (8.7) last season.
The Timberwolves ranked 1st in the league for opponent field goals made per game last season (39.0).
The Timberwolves were the only team to win 20+ games when trailing after Q1 last season.
Minnesota Timberwolves Team Preview!
After this game, the Timberwolves will face the Kings and Raptors. Last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves achieved 56 victories and won a playoff series for the first time since 2003-04. However, they felt that this was insufficient and opted to make significant offseason alterations.
So, the Timberwolves just made a trade, swapping Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. This means Naz Reid has to step up as the backup, and it gives Anthony Edwards more freedom to shine. The success of the trade will depend on Randle staying healthy, but I'm not totally against it considering the added depth and the potential DiVincenzo brings to the team. Fun fact: The Timberwolves have never won a playoff series in consecutive seasons, and they haven't hit the 50-win mark in back-to-back seasons since way back in 2003-04. It's definitely uncharted territory for Minnesota right now.
Los Angeles Lakers Team Preview!
Following this game, the Lakers will face the Suns and Kings. Last season, the Los Angeles Lakers won 47 games, were eliminated in the first round, and are now entering the JJ Redick era. Apart from Taurean Prince moving to Milwaukee, the Lakers' roster remains unchanged.
So, LeBron James and Anthony Davis will be doing most of the heavy lifting, Austin Reaves will hold it down on both ends of the floor, and fingers crossed that D'Angelo Russell can keep it steady. If Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish, and Jarred Vanderbilt can stay healthy this time around, they could really boost the second unit since they missed a bunch of games last season. The Lakers might raise some doubts with a new coaching staff and a lack of reliable players besides LeBron, Reaves, and AD. But hey, there's still hope for LA as long as those three are leading the way.
The Minnesota Timberwolves vs LA Lakers
Game Prediction!
The Pick: LA Lakers ML +105
So, the Timberwolves look better on paper and have won 6 out of the last 9 games against the Lakers, right? So, they should have the upper hand. But hey, they just made a big change to their lineup a couple of weeks ago, so it might take them a while to get in the groove. On the other hand, the Lakers are mostly healthy, playing at home, and are eager to kick off the season strong for a good playoff spot. It's a good opportunity for the Lakers to take the lead while the Timberwolves are still figuring things out without Towns. I'll go with the Lakers on this one, they seem to have the edge.
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