- What: NBA Western Conference Playoffs First Round Game 2
- When: April 22, 2025
- Who: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers
- Time: 7:00 p.m. PST
- Where: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, CA)
The Minnesota Timberwolves, seeded sixth, will face the third-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.
The Timberwolves lead the series 1-0, with a tip-off set for 7 p.m. PST.
During the regular season, the teams split their matchups 2-2. In Game 1 on Saturday, the Timberwolves surprised the Lakers with a 117-95 victory as 4.5-point underdogs on the road, while the total score went Under (215).
Jaden McDaniels led the Timberwolves with 25 points, and Naz Reid contributed 23 points, hitting 6-of-9 from three-point range.
Anthony Edwards also had a strong performance, finishing with 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists. Minnesota is currently a -135 favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook to advance to the conference semifinals.
Luka Doncic made an impressive playoff debut for the Lakers, scoring 37 points. After a strong first quarter from Doncic, LA initially led 28-21 but was outscored 38-20 in the second quarter and couldn’t recover.
In the regular season, each team covered the spread twice in their four meetings, and the Under was a consistent trend, going 4-0. The Lakers are expected to rebound after the significant loss on Saturday.
They’ve performed well at Crypto.com Arena this season, boasting a 21-12 record against the spread (63.6%) as home favorites, ranking fourth in the league.
Last postseason, LA went 5-2 against the spread, including both Play-In games, and managed to cover the spread both times after a non-cover.
I’d take the Lakers to bounce back in this one against the Timberwolves and cover the 5.5 point spread. The Timberwolves and Lakers likely head back to Minnesota with the series tied at 1-1.
Best Bet: Lakers -5.5 Points at -110 odds
Dice City Sports — where we provide premium, exclusive, up-to-date news and analysis surrounding the Las Vegas sports scene. Follow along on social media, and check back for new articles daily!
Tony Reyes is a sports betting analyst and reporter for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X @TonyParlay.
