Germantas Kneita
The Los Angeles Lakers ended up putting together a terrific regular season that earned them homecourt advantage at least in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. It will be tough to defend that advantage against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The teams split the regular season series and if the postseason one follows a similar route, we should be in for a treat.
You can find our NBA Playoff previews here. But for now check out my Timberwolves/Lakers Same Game Parlay below.
Rudy Gobert over 23.5 points & rebounds (-115)
Jaxson Hayes over 3.5 rebounds (-135)
Dorian Finney-Smith over 1.5 made threes (-155)
Same Game Parlay odds: +425
Rudy Gobert over 23.5 points & rebounds (-115)
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert had a very strong end to his regular season, averaging 19.4 points and 13.6 rebounds per game in April. One thing that helped him get there is the fact that he averaged double-digit field goal attempts in the month. His highest average for any month this season. With the way the Lakers roster is constructed, their center position remains their weakness, something the visitors will be looking to exploit with Gobert. The Frenchman already averages a 14-point and 13-rebound double-double in games against the Lakers this season and should be able to build on this. The hosts ranked 22nd over the last 10 regular season games in opponent second chance points per game. With Gobert being a 5th this season in total offensive rebounds, it’s a avenue he should be able to exploit to help put together a strong line.
Jaxson Hayes over 3.5 rebounds (-135)
The man tasked with matching up against Gobert will be Jaxson Hayes. He has had success in rebounding against the Timberwolves this season, averaging 5.5 rebounds in just 19 minutes of action. Considering the Lakers shortcomings when it comes to centers and the size of the Timberwolves frontline, do not be surprised to see him playing an increased role throughout the series. With Gobert not offering much floor spacing either, Hayes should be left to battle the Frenchman in the paint. The Lakers man does have an athleticism edge and is the more explosive player. I expect him to be able to use this to pull down at least 4 rebounds on the night.
Dorian Finney-Smith over 1.5 made threes (-155)
The Lakers have given Dorian Finney-Smith the green light from behind the arc, and he repaid their faith at the end of the year. In his last 4 regular season games the Lakers wing knocked down 15 shots from behind the arc. He was doing it with great efficiency too, knocking down 45.7% of his 3-point attempts in April so far. Considering he averaged close to 7 3-point attempts per game this season, getting anywhere close to that many attempts should put him in a great position to hit the over on this line. While he did struggle against the Timberwolves in earlier meetings this season, his opponents did finish the year 21st in opponent 3-point percentage over the last 10 games. If they carry this into the postseason, Finney-Smith should be the one punishing them.
