- What: NBA Regular Season Game
- When: October 22, 2024
- Who: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers
- Time: 7:00 p.m. PST
- Where: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, CA)
The Minnesota Timberwolves head to Los Angeles in a 2024 NBA Opening Night matchup against the Lakers on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves are a team to watch this season. They had a strong performance last season, finishing with a 56-26 record and securing the third spot in the Western Conference.
They made an impressive playoff run, sweeping the Phoenix Suns in the first round and defeating the then-defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets in a thrilling seven-game series in the second round.
However, their journey ended when the Dallas Mavericks defeated them in the Western Conference Finals.
Anthony Edwards, the Wolves’ guard, has been a rising star, making second-team All-NBA last season. The recent trade that brought in forward Julius Randle and guard Donte DiVincenzo in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns, has added a new dynamic to the team.
let the szn begin. ???? pic.twitter.com/ju21TrDTuL
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) October 22, 2024
Randle’s versatility on the offensive end could potentially be a great asset, although integrating a talent like his into the team may take some time.
Last season, the Timberwolves had the best defense in the NBA. Even though Towns is no longer with the team, the core components of their defense are still intact.
However, their offensive spacing has been affected by Randle taking Towns’ place, making it more challenging for them to score near the rim.
Meanwhile, the Lakers have center Anthony Davis waiting at the rim. Minnesota is still adjusting to scoring in a post-Towns era.
Los Angeles Lakers
The era of new Lakers head coach JJ Redick kicks off in L.A. as he coaches his first NBA game.
Last season, the Lakers finished with a 47-35 record. The highlight of their season was winning the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament.
They managed to beat the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in game but were later swept by the Nuggets for the second year in a row.
Under Redick, the Lakers’ offense is expected to undergo significant changes, with a greater emphasis on an organized half-court offense.
Redick has also expressed his intention to increase the team’s 3-point attempts, especially since the Lakers ranked 28th in 3-point attempts last season.
The Lakers have ranked fourth and sixth in pace of play in the Western Conference over the last two seasons. It will be interesting to see if they maintain that pace or slow down and run more half-court sets in the upcoming matchups.
Home sweet home
????: 7:00 PM PT
????: NBA on TNT
????: ESPN LA 710/1330 KWKWPresented by @PechangaCasino pic.twitter.com/R3DxqoWLO4
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 22, 2024
In the upcoming game, the Lakers will need their shooters to make their shots, as the Wolves are effective at preventing rim looks with center Rudy Gobert in the middle.
With Anthony Davis and forward LeBron James likely to be guarded by Gobert and Jaden McDaniels, the Lakers may rely more on guards Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell to contribute to the scoring.
Shooting those three-pointers will be crucial in this matchup, as it’s tough to beat the Timberwolves without knocking down some triples.
Keep an eye on Reaves and Russell, as they might be heavily featured, especially since guard Mike Conley is a defensive weakness at the point of attack.
T’Wolves-Lakers Best Bet
Last season, the Wolves had a 3-1 record against the Lakers. Overall, the Timberwolves have won 7 out of the past 10 games against the Lakers, including 3 out of the last 5 games at Crypto.
However, the Timberwolves are integrating new pieces into their rotation. I question their ability to score. Meanwhile, the Lakers brought back the same roster with a different coach.
This upcoming game is expected to be very close, making it difficult not to support James and the Lakers as underdogs in such a scenario.
I’ll take the Lakers on the moneyline at plus-money odds. The Lakers at +100 odds is the best bet in this one.
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Tony Reyes is a sports betting analyst and reporter for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X @TonyParlay.
