A pair of teams that are familiar with the NBA Play-in tournament will meet Tuesday night in Los Angeles. LeBron James and the Lakers will host Karl Anthony Townes and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Lakers are currently 7.5 point favorites to officially become the 7 seed tomorrow night https://t.co/jKVDTa6iLa
— BetOnline (@BetOnline_ag) April 10, 2023
PIT Experience for both teams
One year after winning the NBA championship in a bubble, the Lakers returned to the playoffs in 2021 beating the Golden State Warriors to claim the No. 7 seed. Los Angeles went on to lose to the 2nd seeded Phoenix Suns.
Last season, the Timberwolves qualified for the playoffs for just the second time in the last 18 years after ousting the shorthanded Clippers in the PIT to claim the No. 7 seed. However Minnesota suffered a series setback to the 2nd seeded Memphis Grizzlies.
Lakers trade deadline rebuild saved the season
The Lakers are one of the NBA’s hottest team. They’ve got the second best record in the league since the trade deadline (18-8) thanks to the deadline additions of D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Rui Hachimura. The emergence of Austin Reaves has helped too. The former Oklahoma star is averaging 13 points per game and shooting over 52 percent, including 40% from beyond the arc, on the year.
But the Lakers will go only as far as James and Anthony Davis take them. The oft-injured Davis is averaging 25.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per game on 56% shooting. James is averaging 28.3 PPG and eight rebounds in a season where he became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer:
LeBron James sets the all time NBA scoring record pic.twitter.com/C4kZOgOW5y
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) February 8, 2023
Stupid is, as Stupid does. T-Wolves will be shorthanded
Talk about a Minnesota meltdown. In Sunday’s regular season finale center Rudy Gobert punched teammate Kyle Anderson in the huddle on Sunday and was sent home mid-game by the team as a result. He was suspended Monday by the T-Wolves and will miss the Lakers game. Not to be outdone, defensive specialist Jaden McDaniels, who was averaging career-highs of 12.1 points and 59.1% shooting this season, punched a wall late in the first quarter after picking up his second foul and broke his hand. He would have guarded James.
Minnesota won the season series but there’s an asterik
Minnesota took two out of three games during the regular season. However they only faced the James/Davis tandem once, losing on March 31, 121-113. AD had 38 points and 17 rebounds in the LA victory and once upon a time scored 51 vs. the Wolves.
Lakers vs Wolves tonight.
Anthony Davis dropped 50 points vs Minnesota on December 2019.
Brow was (and is) UNSTOPPABLE.pic.twitter.com/cgnsP1MCe8#LakeShow
— LakerTalks (@LakerTalks) November 12, 2021
Final thoughts
If I were a betting man, I’d be laying the points with the Lakers and taking the over. There’s just no way Minnesota hangs around with Gobert and McDaniels out of the lineup.
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