On Tuesday, October 22, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers kicked off their NBA seasons in a highly anticipated Western Conference matchup. The game, held at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, was broadcast live on TNT and various streaming platforms like Max and YouTube TV.
The Timberwolves, who finished third in the Northwest Division and the Western Conference last season with a 56-26 record, entered the game as slight favorites. They were listed as 1-point favorites on the spread, with the over/under set at 222.5 points.
Key players to watch included the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards, who led his team in scoring last season with an average of 25.9 points per game, and the Lakers’ LeBron James and Anthony Davis. James, entering his 22nd season, averaged 25.7 points per game last season, while Davis averaged 24.7 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.
The Lakers faced some challenges with injuries, as Jarred Vanderbilt (foot), Christian Wood (knee), and Christian Koloko (reconditioning) were ruled out for the game. In contrast, the Timberwolves had a clean injury report.
The game also marked the debut of JJ Redick as the Lakers’ new coach, adding an extra layer of interest to the matchup. The Timberwolves were expected to leverage their depth and the addition of Julius Randle, who joined from the New York Knicks, to challenge the Lakers.
Betting trends indicated that the Timberwolves had a strong record on the road last season, winning 26 of their 41 away games. The Lakers, however, had a solid home record, winning 28 of their 42 home games. Historically, the Lakers have struggled in season openers during the LeBron James era, going 0-6 straight up and against the spread.
Predictions from various models and analysts leaned towards the over on the point total, given the offensive capabilities of both teams. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates games 10,000 times, suggested that the over would hit in this matchup.
