• The Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers start the NBA regular season on Tuesday
• Julius Randle replaces Karl-Anthony Towns in the Timberwolves frontcourt
• See the Timberwolves vs Lakers predictions, props, and best odds for Oct. 22

The NBA regular season starts on Tuesday night with a pair of games, including a nightcap between the Minnesota Timberwolves (56-26, 26-15 away) and Los Angeles Lakers (47-35, 28-14 home) at crypto.com Arena at 7:10 pm PT. The game marks a new era for both teams: Minnesota swapped Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle in the offseason, while the Lakers hired first-time coach JJ Redick as their new bench boss.

Timberwolves vs Lakers Predictions

• Timberwolves moneyline (-108) at FanDuel 
• Julius Randle under 18.5 points (-105) at DraftKings

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The Timberwolves reached the Western Conference final last season and posted a +6.5 point differential in the regular season, third best in the entire NBA. And the general consensus is that they still have room to grow. Anthony Edwards (25.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 5.1 APG) starts the season as a top-five favorite in the NBA MVP odds. (Neither of the Laker stars, Anthony Davis or LeBron James, is in the top ten.)

The Timberwolves also went 3-1 against the Lakers last year, winning both games in Minnesota and splitting their matchups in LA. LeBron didn’t play in the Lakers home loss but Rudy Gobert and Kyle Anderson were both injured for the Wolves in LA’s only victory, a game in which the Lakers finished with a massive 56-38 edge on the glass.

With LeBron turning 40 before the calendar flips, I don’t expect him to be better than he was last season. If LeBron takes in a modest step back in efficiency, the Lakers as a whole will do the same.

I expect the Timberwolves to be in contention for the #1 seed in the Western Conference all year, and that starts with a W tonight in Los Angeles.

I’m also taking the under on Julius Randle’s point total, though. In 46 games last year before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, Randle averaged an impressive 24.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 5.0 APG with the Knicks. But his USG% was at a career-high 29.9, which was 15th-highest in the NBA. The Wolves already have their go-to scorer; Anthony Edwards averaged 25.9 PPG with a usage rate of 32.3% (fifth-highest).

It’s also unlikely that Chris Finch is going to allow Randle to log too many minutes. The Kentucky product hasn’t played a game since January.

MIN vs LAL Player Props

NBA player props from DraftKings on Oct. 22. Claim a DraftKings promo code for NBA Opening Night. 

Rising star Anthony Edwards, who’s fresh off a gold medal with Team USA at the Paris Olympics, has the highest point total on Tuesday night at 26.5, slightly higher than Olympic teammates Anthony Davis (25.5) and LeBron James (24.5). Randle clocks in at 18.5 in his first game with the Wolves.

Rudy Gobert and Davis both have a rebound total of 12.5. Gobert finished second in the NBA in rebounding last year, averaging 12.9 RPG. Davis was right behind him in third, averaging 12.6 RPG.

No props are listed for LeBron’s son, Bronny James, the #54-overall pick in the 2024 draft who is listed as the third-string point guard on the Lakers current depth chart.

Best MIN Timberwolves vs LA Lakers Odds

Bettors looking to back the Lakers, can find the best available Timberwolves vs Lakers spread at BetMGM, where LA +1.5 is priced at -110. The best T-Wolves spread is -1 (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook, among others.

Not coincidentally, BetMGM also has the best moneyline price on the home team, listing a Lakers win at even-money. The longest Minnesota moneyline is -108 at FanDuel.

There is a half-point range in the game total in Tuesday’s NBA odds. The over is as low as 219 (-110) at FanDuel, while the under is as high as 219.5 (-110) at ESPN Bet.

The NBA public betting splits currently show the money almost evenly split tonight. The Lakers are getting 51% of moneyline handle on 50% of the bets. Against the spread, the Wolves are getting 60% of ATS handle on 54% of the wagers. The public has a much stronger lean with respect to the total, putting 77% of handle and 84% of tickets on under 219.5.

The post Timberwolves vs Lakers Predictions, Player Props & Best Odds (Oct 22) appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.