We've got another exciting Western Conference matchup on Monday's NBA schedule as the Minnesota Timberwolves will host the Los Angeles Lakers. Minnesota is 9-10 overall and 6-4 at home, while Los Angeles is 12-8 overall and 5-5 on the road. Los Angeles prevailed, 110-103, at home when these teams last met on Oct. 22. The Lakers are 8-12 against the spread (ATS) in the 2024-25 NBA season, while the Wolves are 7-12 versus the line.
Tipoff is at 8 p.m. ET at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Minnesota is favored by 7.5 points in the latest Timberwolves vs. Lakers odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 219.5 points. Before entering any Lakers vs. Timberwolves picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.
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 Week 7 of the 2024-25 NBA season on a sizzling 116-80 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $3,000. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Los Angeles vs. Minnesota. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines Lakers vs. Timberwolves:
- Timberwolves vs. Lakers spread: Timberwolves -7.5
- Timberwolves vs. Lakers over/under: 219.5 points
- Timberwolves vs. Lakers money line: Timberwolves: -329, Lakers: +259
- Timberwolves vs. Lakers picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Timberwolves vs. Lakers streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Lakers can cover
The Lakers finished off the Utah Jazz, 105-104, on Sunday, relying on the efforts of their two superstars. Anthony Davis dropped a double-double on 33 points and 11 rebounds, while LeBron James had a double-double of his own with 27 points and 14 assists. Los Angeles won without the services of Austin Reaves (pelvis) and D'Angelo Russell (illness), who are game-time decisions for Monday.
The Lakers have an aggressive offense which leads the NBA in both free throws made and attempted, but they also take care of the ball and commit the third-fewest turnovers per game. That efficiency has powered L.A. to No. 7 in offensive rating, and it also keeps opponents from going to the charity stripe. No team commits fewer personal fouls per game, which helps keep the other team from getting easy points at the line. That could throw a wrench into Minnesota's offense, which relies on its sixth-best free throw percentage of 80.1% for points, as the Wolves aren't as efficient in other areas, ranking outside the top 10 in field goal percentage, 2-point percentage and 3-point percentage. See which team to pick here.
Why the Timberwolves can cover
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves came into Friday's matchup having lost four straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They escaped with a win against the Los Angeles Clippers by the margin of a single free throw, 93-92. The 93-point effort marked Minnesota's lowest-scoring contest of the season, but in the end it didn't matter. Anthony Edwards (21 points) was the only player with more than 13 points, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker had a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double off the bench.
As the score of that game indicates, defense is the calling card for the Timberwolves, as they rank in the top seven of the league in both points allowed per game and 3-pointers allowed per game. The team relies on Edwards (27.7 points) and Julius Randle (21.2 points) on the offensive end as the only players averaging more than 13.4 points. Even with that lack of depth, Minnesota can take advantage of a Lakers defense which ranks in the bottom 10 in points allowed, defensive rating and field goal percentage allowed. See which team to pick here.
How to make Timberwolves vs. Lakers picks
The model has simulated Lakers vs. Timberwolves 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Wolves vs. Lakers, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? 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.
