Lakers vs Timberwolves: Lakers Will Try to Steal a Victory

• The Los Angeles Lakers are empowered by the return of LeBron James
• The Minnesota Timberwolves hold a half-game lead over the Lakers in the standings
• The Timberwolves won their last game against the Lakers, 102-110

The Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves are battling for position in The Play-In Tournament. The Lakers are eighth in the Western Conference with a 38-38 overall record and an 18-21 road record. The Timberwolves are seventh in the West with a 39-38 overall record and a 21-17 home record.

No matter what happens in this match, the Timberwolves will hold the regular season tiebreaker over the Lakers. Hosted at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Timberwolves will have home court advantage. The last time these two teams met, Minnesota defeated Los Angeles 102-110.

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Head-to-Head: Los Angeles Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves

Injury Report

Spread: Los Angeles Lakers +1.0 (-110) @ DraftKings Sportsbook

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The Los Angeles Lakers will try to steal a victory from the Minnesota Timberwolves after losing two games in their three-game season series. The Los Angeles Lakers are 38-38 after going 6-4 over their last ten games. The Minnesota Timberwolves are just a half-game ahead of them at 39-38 after going 5-5 over their previous ten.

The Lakers love establishing themselves in the paint against their opponents, averaging 116.4 points (10th in the NBA) while hitting 31.9 two-point field goals per game (3rd in the NBA). In two games against the Timberwolves, the Lakers' offense has only been able to generate 102.0 points per game on 41.5% from the field and 31.7% from three-point range while committing 18.5 turnovers per game.

The Timberwolves are an aggressive team on both ends of the court, averaging 115.7 points per game (12th in the NBA) on 49.1% from the field (4th in the NBA) while also forcing 15.6 turnovers per game (5th in the NBA) and holding teams to just 53.2% inside the arc.

We're taking the Los Angeles Lakers to cover the spread. They're on a roll as of late, winning four of their last five games on a plus-4.6 points differential. While the Timberwolves have had their number, a late push for the sixth seed, backed by a renewed Anthony Davis and LeBron James, should be enough to take down the Timberwolves.

Key Players & Stats

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Los Angeles Lakers star man LeBron James returned to the lineup after a 13-game absence and didn't miss a beat. In his last game, a win against the Bulls, James posted 25 points, seven rebounds, and four assists on 52.6% from the field and 33.3% from three. He'll look to build on his only game against the Timberwolves this season, where he posted 28 points on 41.7% shooting in a loss.

Star guard Anthony Edwards is coming off his best game since returning from injury. He posted 31 points and six assists on 59.1% shooting against a tough Phoenix Suns team. Averaging 24.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.0 helps in two games against the Lakers this season, Edwards projects to have another big outing.

How to Watch Los Angeles Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves

• Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
• When: 8:00 PM EST, Friday, March 31, 2023
• How to Watch: NBA TV
• Streaming: NBA League Pass