The Los Angeles Lakers welcome NBA basketball back in Tinseltown, as they host the new-look Minnesota Timberwolves at crypto.com Arena this Wednesday.  Will the Lakers get off to a perfect start to their season with a win over Minnesota? Or, will the Timberwolves spoil the Lakers’ home opener?

Catch this game live on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at 10:00 AM, Manila time

Away: Minnesota Timberwolves (0-0/0-0 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Mike Conley
  • Anthony Edwards
  • Jaden McDaniels
  • Julius Randle
  • Rudy Gobert

Even though they lost Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves will be a team to watch this season. Many are expecting Anthony Edwards to be even better after averaging a career-high 25.9 points per game in the 2023-24 campaign. There could even be more shots available to the former Georgia Bulldogs star, with Towns now in Gotham. Then again, another ex-Kentucky Wildcat has arrived in Minnesota with Julius Randle added to the team via the blockbuster offseason KAT trade.

 Randle is healthy again after dealing with a shoulder injury that he suffered late last season. Randle can bring a lot to the table for the T’wolves. In what turned out to be his final season with the New York Knicks, Randle averaged 19.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. While he doesn’t have KAT’s range, Randle could ability as a passer can add fluidity to Minnesota’s offense that averaged 112.1 points per game a season ago.

The Timberwolves are 6-4 against the spread in their last 10 regular-season road games.

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Home: Los Angeles Lakers (0-0/0-0 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

  • D’Angelo Russell
  • Austin Reaves
  • Rui Hachimura
  • LeBron James
  • Anthony Davis

Despite being 100 years old, LeBron James will still be a focal point of the Lakers’ attack. Playing in his 22nd season in the league, the four-time league Most Valuable Player is out to prove anew that there’s plenty of gas left in the tank after he averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists while shooting 54.0 percent from the field in the 2023-24 season. 

And then there’s Anthony Davis, who should give Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves’ frontcourt defensive problems. Last season, Davis put up 24.7 points per game and led Los Angeles in rebounds (12.6) and blocks (2.3) per contest. He’s past 30 now but Davis is still an elite weapon on both ends of the floor for Los Angeles, which finished seventh in the league last season with 117.3 points per game and fifth with a 56.4 effective field goal percentage.

The Lakers are 5-2 against the spread in their last seven home games against the Timberwolves.

Picks

Spread: Minnesota Timberwolves (-1.5)

Over/Under: Under (220.0)

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