NBA 2021/22 on Monday, 03.01.2022
First Last night, LeBron James made basketball history! And right tonight, the Los Angeles Lakers could be carried to victory once again by the captivating form of their centre in their game against the Minnesota Timoberwolves.
Personally, I wouldn’t bet a penny on the Californians winning the NBA title, but I would bet a lot more on The King putting in another great performance against the Wolves. Because the perfect conditions seem to be in place for this…
The Californians have to cope with the loss of Anthony Davis, but they can still rely on their superstar. Because LeBron James is currently pulling the chestnuts out of the fire for the Lakers – even single-handedly if necessary.
Ultimately, you should enjoy The King in this top form while you still can. Because the 37-year-old is not getting any younger and has been out of action for months due to various injuries in recent years – but since his comeback, things have been going well again!
Los Angeles may have won only two of its last seven NBA games, but in all of them LeBron James scored at least 30 points – in his last appearance against the Trail Blazers it was even 43 points!
The Lakers are so weakened that they can lose to anyone by now – even the Wolves. But LeBron James seems to be the rock, converting most of the ball time and baskets for the Californians.
A favourable circumstance for the top performances that The King can currently call up has to do with the team structure. Without Anthony Davis in the starting five, LeBron becomes the number one playmaker.
Although this reduces the Californians’ chances of winning in general due to the predictability of the plays, this can only be good for my player bet. After all, I’m counting on the NBA legend to break the 30-point mark once again tonight!
The reason for my optimism is certainly the opponent. Minnesota has already lost four of its last five NBA games. But with regard to my Lakers Timberwolves tip, I am more interested in the mismatch on the five.
Naz Reid has the difficult task of taking LeBron James out of the game. But the 22-year-old with an average of only 3.8 rebounds per game is no match for the currently strong centre of the Californians.
Especially not after one of the most memorable evenings in NBA history. Because yesterday’s performance by LeBron James against the Portland Trail Blazers is worth a closer look.
The King’s fabulous numbers were: 43 points, 14 rebounds and four assists. And all that in just 29 minutes. Never before has a player in league history achieved that.
Incidentally, the Lakers have not only won three of the last four direct duels against the Timberwolves, but have also always scored over 127 points.
LeBron James will therefore once again get plenty of opportunities to keep his own contribution to the Lakers’ total output high against the Wolves, who are often vulnerable on the defensive end.
The home side has already lost the majority of its games in this line-up and is currently prone to poor performances as a collective.
A Timberwolves win, on the other hand, will result in a payout that is more than triple the wager, making it a much better risk/reward proposition!
Conclusion: Without Anthony Davis, the Lakers’ game is much more predictable. It’s not for nothing that Los Angeles could only win two of their last seven games – and that despite the always sensational performances of their captain LeBron James.
The King has put at least 30 points on the board in all of these games and even set a new NBA record in yesterday’s performance against the Trail Blazers.
Only 24 hours after this amazing performance, one can feel sorry for his direct counterpart on the five. Because Naz Reid still needs time to mature and is only a minor basketball obstacle for the centre of the Californians.
My Lakers Timberwolves tip is therefore: LeBron James with a performance beyond the 31.5-point mark!
