Minnesota Timberwolves vs Los Angeles Lakers Series Predictions and Best Bets

by Spencer Toth - 4/16/2025

The Lakers and Timberwolves have legitimate title aspirations this year, but one of them will stumble on the first hurdle of the postseason. Anytime LeBron James is in the playoffs, the spotlight will be on him, especially with Luka Doncic playing alongside him on the court. The Lakers face a tough defensive task as they square off against four-time DPOY Rudy Gobert. Gobert holds down the paint for the Timberwolves while Anthony Edwards generates explosive offense on the other end, making this a very dangerous opponent for the mighty Lakers. These two teams split the regular season series 1-1 and finished a single game apart in the regular season standings. None of that will matter in a couple of weeks, and there are a pair of best bets for this series that cannot be ignored.

Doc’s Sports offers NBA picks for every game on our NBA predictions page.

Los Angeles Lakers:

The Los Angeles Lakers made a huge splash at the trade deadline when they picked up Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Anthony Davis. Doncic and LeBron James have joined forces to create one of the greatest duos of all time that will be solidified if the Lakers can find tangible playoff success. LeBron and Doncic will be the primary focus in this series, but the Lakers are far deeper than many people give them credit for. Injuries prevented them from stringing together wins this season, but they now have a healthy lineup ready for a deep postseason run. Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura have excelled this season, and a balanced Lakers lineup will be the key to their postseason success.

Statistically, the Lakers are not the third-best team in the Western Conference. Their offensive rating was 11th, their defensive rating was 15th, and their Pythagorean win total was just 44 wins (compared to the 50 they picked up). They are in the middle ten teams in the league in turnovers, assists, steals, and three-pointers. The only major statistic they were top 10 in was shooting percentage, and they finished in the bottom five in both rebounds and offensive rebounds. However, the playoffs are a completely different game, and both Lakers superstars fully understand what is needed to navigate an incredibly competitive Western Conference. Luka Doncic carried a banged-up Mavericks team to the NBA Finals last year. If the Slovenian superstar plays remotely close to the same level with the Lakers superior supporting cast, it will be a cakewalk to the Finals once again. His 28.2 PPG leads the Lakers, and the chemistry he has built with LeBron in just 28 games with his new team has put the Lakers in a great position to compete. Speaking of LeBron, what he has done at 40 years old is nothing short of remarkable. He is averaging a 24/8/8 stat line this season and is still a menace on the defensive end. As soon as Doncic was traded to the Lakers, it immediately became ‘championship or bust’ in Los Angeles, and the Lakers have a great first test waiting for them in the opening round.

Minnesota Timberwolves:
The Minnesota Timberwolves have been somewhat overlooked due to their lack of playoff success in recent seasons, but there is no denying what this team is capable of. They have a truly elite interior defender in Rudy Gobert, and Anthony Edwards is just getting better and better the more NBA experience he collects. Minnesota finally won its first playoff series in 20 years last season en route to its Conference Championship appearance, and they will want to replicate that this season.

Julius Randle was the major piece the Timberwolves got when they shipped Towns to New York, and he has been average for Minnesota. Randle is capable of generating his own offense in isolation and is dangerous when he gets going in the paint. However, he is too willing to shoot deep shots despite his 34% three point percentage, and a cold night from Randle can offset all the hard work the Timberwolves put in on the defensive end.

The Timberwolves have been known for their regular season success and strong defense, but it is now time to start giving their offense some more credit. They are top five in the league in three point shots per game and three point percentage, and their offense has been inside the top 10 in rating all year long. The dominance of Edwards is certainly a driving force, but players like Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo will have big roles to play in their playoff run. The fact the Timberwolves almost always have four players on the court capable of shooting threes opens up the paint for their interior offense too. The Timberwolves move the ball well, they are responsible with the basketball, and they have the star talent needed to make a deep run. Rudy Gobert on the inside gives them the defensive support they need, and the Timberwolves have suddenly become one of the most well-rounded teams in the league.

Series Prediction:

The momentum for LeBron James and Luka Doncic is hard to overlook, but I expect this series to go right down to the wire. The Timberwolves are one of the worst matchups for the Lakers, as Los Angeles has struggled with depth all season long. Minnesota has a deep bench capable of punishing the Lakers role players, and a heavy dosage of minutes for LeBron is impossible at his age. Los Angeles has been able to overcome their lack of depth with a 23-16 record in the clutch, but that is not a trend they can bank on continuing against the Timberwolves.

Another place the Timberwolves will have a serious advantage is on the glass. LeBron and Doncic are both capable of posting a triple double on any given night, but the rest of the Lakers don’t put in enough effort to chase down loose balls. That may change in the playoffs, but banking on a sudden mentality shift may not be a good idea. On paper, everything points to the Timberwolves pulling off the upset, but there is something magical brewing in Los Angeles…

A duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic cannot be faded regardless of the Timberwolves superiority elsewhere on the court. Anthony Edwards will win a couple of games for the Timberwolves, but the reality is Minnesota has one difference maker while the Lakers have two. Doncic put the Lakers on his back last season en route to an impressive Finals run, and the Lakers supporting cast is vastly superior to the Mavericks. If Doncic can continue to play as he has for the last half-decade, LeBron James will take care of the rest. This won’t be a quick series, but let’s not forget the Lakers went 31-10 at home this season. They earned home court advantage with their 50-32 record, and will use it in a big way to win a crucial Game 7.

Prediction: Los Angeles Lakers in 7 Games

Best Bets:

While I may expect the Lakers to win this series, that doesn’t mean I will be betting on them at the current price. Los Angeles is -200 to win the series while the Timberwolves are coming in at +165. I honestly don’t love either of these numbers, but there is one series spread I have been eyeing up all week. The Timberwolves have -130 odds on the +1.5 game line in this series, and this is by far the best bet you can make. Los Angeles has struggled on the road this season, and it is difficult to imagine them winning in Minnesota more than once. Assuming the Timberwolves can also find a way to win a single road game, everything points to this series going to a Game 7 in Los Angeles. You can take a shot with the +165 series odds, but there is still enough value on the -130 spread odds that a majority of your wager should go there.

Top Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves (+1.5) Games -130

Get NBA picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bet premium picks by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.

Start:	April 19, 2025 @ 8:30 PM
Expert:	Tony George
Free $60 Account Sign Up

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Los Angeles Lakers Series Predictions and Best Bets

Most Recent NBA Handicapping