2 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Timberwolves vs. Lakers in Game 1 of the Playoffs

The NBA playoffs are here, and even within a single game, betting markets are abundant.

You can bet traditional markets like the spread or the total, but we've also got tons of player-prop markets to sift through.

Which bets stand out today as the Minnesota Timberwolves face the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Playoffs?

Let's dig into the Timberwolves-Lakers best bets from FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA betting odds, utilizing FanDuel Research's NBA projections to try to find value.

Timberwolves at Lakers Game 1 Betting Picks

Lakers Over 110.5 Points (-108)

With the Lakers hosting the Timberwolves on Saturday night, we'll be treated to our first playoff action for the new-look Lake Show. And while Minnesota has the reputation of a strong defensive team, they took a slight step back over the second half of the year. LA has plenty of firepower on offense, pointing me toward the over on their 110.5-point team total.

Los Angeles has averaged 116.3 points across 21 games with Luka Doncic. LeBron James, and Austin Reaves all active. They've scored at least 111 points in 15 of those 21 games, including their lone matchup with these very Timberwolves.

They've been lights-out on a per-possession basis when those three share the floor. LA's averaging 121.7 points per 100 possessions with those three on the court together, and we should see plenty of run from their "Big 3" in the postseason.

Minnesota's a softer matchup than you'd think, too. The Wolves are just 12th in defensive rating since the All-Star break, during which they've let up 111.8 points per game.

Even last year -- when Minnesota finished the regular season 1st in defensive rating -- we saw the Wolves struggle to contain Luka's Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs. Dallas exceeded 110.5 points in two of five games against the Wolves last postseason, scoring 109 and 108 in another two.

With LA's offense humming, look for them to start the postseason hot and go over their 110.5-point team total.

Luka Doncic to Score 30+ Points (+106)

If we like the Lakers to have success on offense in Game 1, it's logical to target some of their player props. With plus odds for Luka Doncic to score 30+ points, I'm happy to buy into LA's newest star making a statement in his first Lakers playoff game.

Doncic has averaged 28.1 points per game since joining the Lakers, but that's taking into account several outings before he was fully incorporated into the LA offense. Since the beginning of March, Doncic's scoring average has crept up to 30.1 points per game. He's notched at least 30 points in 13 of 21 games over that stretch.

That alone makes these plus odds appealing, but his playoff track record makes this an even more intriguing wager. Doncic is averaging 30.9 points across 50 career playoff games. He's scored at least 30 points in 27 of those, four of which came during last season's five-game series with Minnesota.

In that series, Luka averaged 32.4 points per game, while the lone game he failed to crack the 30-point benchmark still saw him net 28.

Big scoring nights from Luka have become commonplace when he's facing Minnesota's Rudy Gobert. Across 10 games versus Gobert in Minnesota where Luka's played at least 20 minutes, he's scored at least 30 points seven times.

I wouldn't expect that trend to change anytime soon, especially with how well Doncic is playing right now. He's put up 31.8 points on an eye-popping 52.5% field goal percentage since the start of April. In his first postseason game with his new team, I like him to reach 30 points for the fifth time in the last six games.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.