Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers Game 5 Prediction, NBA Playoff Odds
This has been a series that has seen blowouts, low scoring and high scoring games and now close finishes following Minnesota’s 116-113 win in Game 4 on Sunday night. The Lakers’ backs are officially against the wall as they trail 3-1 with the series shifting back to La-la-land for Game 5 on Wednesday.
L.A. is a 5.5-point favourite to win on the NBA odds, with the total pegged at 209.5.
Timberwolves vs. Lakers NBA Betting Odds
The Timberwolves’ fingerprints are all over this series, but the Lakers have to be happy to be travelling back home, where they’ve won 13 of their last 17 games. That record shouldn’t faze a Minnesota squad that is 6-1 straight up in their last seven games overall and 8-1 SU in their last nine against Western Conference opponents.
With three chances to punch their ticket to the second round, it should be no surprise to see the Timberwolves as -500 favourites to win the series on the NBA futures board. Conversely, the Lakers are justifiable +375 underdogs after beginning the playoffs at -190 on the series line.
There’s some interesting value on the exact series result. L.A winning in seven games is +375, but it’s actually much better value to take Minnesota in seven at +650. Oddsmakers think the Lakers are a lock if this series goes the distance, but asking them to win three straight games is a stretch in my mind.
When it comes to the conference championship, Minnesota has the third-shortest odds to win the West at +800, while L.A. is +1800 (second-longest).
Minnesota Timberwolves
It was Anthony Edwards turn to lead the Timberwolves in Game 4. Edwards finished with 43 points and nine rebounds to lead Minnesota in scoring for the first time in this series. Julius Randle added 25 points, while Jaden McDaniels chipped in 16 points and 11 boards. Minnesota actually trailed by 12 points late in the third quarter and it took a last-minute three-point play by McDaniels to steal the lead. That’s been a trend to watch over the whole series as the Timberwolves have outscored L.A. in every fourth quarter to the tune of 105-69.
Los Angeles Lakers
Luka Doncic bounced back from a stomach bug to drop a team-high 38 points in Sunday’s losing effort. LeBron James put up 27 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, while Rui Hachimura scored 23 points. Luka and LeBron weren’t immune from L.A.’s fourth quarter struggles as Doncic went just 1-for-6 from the floor in the final frame and James was scoreless. That trend of late collapses has to end if the Lakers have a shot at climbing back in this series.
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