The first-round matchup in the 2025 NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves heads to Minneapolis for a Game 3 contest on Friday. The series is knotted, 1-1, after the T’Wolves pulled the Game 1 upset, only for L.A. to then protect its home court in Game 2. Los Angeles finished the regular season with a 50-32 record, earning the No. 3 seed in the West, and it went 19-22 on the road. The 6-seed Timberwolves were 49-33 overall and 25-16 at home. The teams split their four regular-season matchups.
Tipoff is at 9:30 p.m. ET from the Target Center in Minneapolis. Minnesota is a 3-point favorite in the latest Timberwolves vs. Lakers odds from FanDuel Sportsbook. The over/under for total points scored is 205.5. Before locking in any Lakers vs. Timberwolves picks, be sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. The model enters the first full week of the 2025 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 156-116 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $4,000. It is also 22-11 (67%) on top-rated NBA against-the-spread picks this season. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Now, the model has simulated Los Angeles vs. Minnesota 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NBA picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Timberwolves vs. Lakers:
- Lakers vs. Timberwolves spread: Timberwolves -3 at FanDuel Sportsbook
- Lakers vs. Timberwolves over/under: 205.5 points
- Lakers vs. Timberwolves money line: MIN -152, LA +128
- MIN: The Timberwolves are 40-43-1 against the spread (ATS) this season
- LA: The Lakers are 46-38 ATS in 2024-25
- Lakers vs. Timberwolves picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Lakers vs. Timberwolves streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Lakers can cover
The Lakers resumed their brand of basketball in the 94-85 Game 2 win as both Luka Doncic and LeBron James nearly posted triple-doubles. Doncic had 31 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, while James added 21 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. There is even more room for offensive improvement as L.A. knocked down just 6 of 29 (20.7%) shots from beyond the arc, as both its made 3-pointers and 3-point percentage were the third-lowest all season.
On defense, the Lakers’ strategy of containing Minnesota’s role players certainly paid off as, outside of Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, no other Minnesota player reached double-figures in Game 2. Los Angeles also has the spread advantage, covering at a 56.3% clip in the regular season, while the Wolves were below .500 against the spread. Additionally, the Timberwolves’ 14-22 spread record as a home favorite was the sixth-worst this season (min. five games). See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why the Timberwolves can cover
Home court has certainly been an advantage for the Timberwolves as they’ve won four straight at the Target Center versus the Lakers and seven of the last eight home meetings. While this series is 1-1, the statistics favor the Timberwolves, who have shot better from both the field and 3-point land, while also committing fewer turnovers than Los Angeles. Minnesota ranked in the top five of the NBA in both 3-point percentage and 3-point makes during the regular season, while the Lakers were 14th or worse in both.
Minnesota hasn’t hit anywhere near its offensive potential thus far in this first-round series as two starters — Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert — are averaging under 5.0 points per game. Gobert, particularly, could become a bigger focal point in Game 3 considering the Lakers’ lack of frontcourt size, and he also logged double-doubles in each of his three regular-season matchups versus L.A. Even if the two veterans don’t turn things around, the Wolves can simply lean on their defense for a comfortable victory as the team boasts top-six rankings in points allowed, defensive rating and 3-pointers allowed per game. See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Timberwolves vs. Lakers picks
SportsLine’s model has simulated Lakers vs. Timberwolves and is leaning Over on the point total, projecting 215 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s NBA picks.
So who wins Wolves vs. Lakers, and which side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Lakers vs. Wolves spread to back, all from the model that has returned well over $10,000 on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.
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