Lakers vs Timberwolves Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for March 31 (Defenses Step Up at Target Center)

The Los Angeles Lakers (38-38) aim to win for the fifth time in six games when they collide with the Minnesota Timberwolves (39-38) on Friday, March 31.

Lakers vs Timberwolves Game Info

• Date: Friday, March 31, 2023
• Time: 8 PM ET
• Venue: Target Center -- Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Coverage: NBA TV

The Lakers head into tonight's contest fresh off a 121-110 win over the Chicago Bulls as Anthony Davis led the charge with a 38-point effort. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves picked up a 107-100 loss to the Phoenix Suns two nights ago.

Which side will walk out with the victory tonight?

Lakers vs Timberwolves Odds & Spread

• All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: LAL: (+100) | MIN: (-118)
• Spread: LAL: +1.5 (-110) | MIN: -1.5 (-110)
• Total: 232.5 -- Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

The Timberwolves enter this contest as slim home favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 8 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 232.5 points with -110 odds on both sides.

Lakers vs Timberwolves Betting Trends

• The Lakers are 4-1 straight up in their last five games.
• The Timberwolves are 1-5 straight up in their last six games on a Friday.
• The Lakers are 4-2 against the spread (ATS) in their last six road games.
• Minnesota is 1-5 ATS in its last six home games.
• The total has hit the under in 12 of the Lakers' last 18 games.
• The total has hit the under in each of Minnesota's last six games against the Lakers.

Lakers vs Timberwolves Prediction & Pick

In a battle between two teams desperate for playoff positioning, I'm going with the Lakers tonight. When Anthony Davis and LeBron James are on top of their game, it's incredibly tough stopping them. Davis is averaging 27.6 points and 11.4 rebounds in his last seven games while LeBron is bound to turn things up now that he's returned from injury. His 25-point effort on Wednesday was just the start.

Unfortunately for the Timberwolves, their recent home struggles make them difficult to trust. The T-Wolves have lost five of their last six outings at Target Center, getting outscored by an average of 6.8 points. They're also an abysmal 1-5 ATS over that stretch, leading to my doubting their ability to cover as the favorite.

With the Lakers catching fire at the right time, look for them to take advantage of the Timberwolves as they come off their latest loss.

Final Score Prediction: Lakers: 116 | Timberwolves: 113

Lakers vs Timberwolves Best Bet

As far as the best bet goes, I like the idea of the total finishing with fewer than 232.5 points. After all, the under is 12-6 in the Lakers' last 18 games while being 6-1 in the Timberwolves' last seven against the Western Conference. Furthermore, each of the last six battles between these two teams has finished with fewer than 232.5 points.

While this game will be entertaining, don't expect a ton of points.

Bet: Under 232.5 Points (-110)

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Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.