NBA 2022/23, on Saturday, 01.04.2023
The NBA play-offs are coming up and it could be that they go into the scene without the Los Angeles Lakers and thus without superstars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
That’s the scenario NBA fans face if the purple and gold don’t step it up soon. However, in my Timberwolves Lakers tip, I assume they reactivated “The King” at just the right time.
Getting fit in time or grudgingly thrown into the fray due to circumstances? Probably a mixture of both! In any case, LeBron James’ return to the Lakers’ starting five was high time!
Only a few days before the end of the regular season, it looked as if Los Angeles would not qualify for the play-offs – not even via the diversions of the play-in tournament.
So it was all the more important that The King returned in the doubleheader against the Bulls – and even if the first game was lost, the NBA icon could help the purple and gold with his 25 points to at least bag the rematch.
The Lakers are not out of the woods yet, which is why tonight’s clash against the TImberwolves is just as important as the doubleheader against the Bulls before it. But the return of LeBron James could tip the scales.
Because without The King I would have rated the Timberwolves in their current condition as a bit too strong. Finally, Karl-Anthony also returned to the starting five during the week after missing 52 games.
Minnesota immediately benefited from his return and could now, also thanks to excellent defensive work, snatch the sixth and thus last direct play-off spot from the Warriors if they continue as they have been doing.
The Timberwolves are on a roll at the moment and, after winning four in a row, were only beaten by a stronger opponent again last night. The Suns won narrowly but deservedly with 107:100.
Their own defence is first class, as evidenced not only by their current defensive rating of 113.1, but also by the fact that they limited a dream team like Arizona to just 107 points yesterday.
For this very reason, many NBA fans are convinced that the Lakers have no chance tonight. After all, the LAL offense hasn’t been potent enough to make the difference for much of the season
This assessment is also true, but it doesn’t adequately account for the fact that LeBron James has been absent for much of the season and has now bounced back with some customarily good performances in the doubleheader against the Bulls.
In fact, the Timberwolves have already won both regular-season games against Los Angeles this season. First with 111:102 and then just under a month ago with 110:102.
But in both duels the Wolves never faced LeBron James and Anthony Davis at the same time! In both games, a part of the congenial duo of the Los Angeles Lakers was missing in the starting five.
According to their Timberwolves Lakers betting odds, bettors expect a relatively even match with slight advantages on the side of the hosts.
In a way, this is a coin toss scenario, where the winner of this game almost doubles the bet of the sports betting fan in case of success.
Who will ultimately snatch the important “win” for both sides, however, remains the all-important question, which is also the focus of my Timberwolves Lakers forecast.
In any case, I’m sticking to my guns: just as the Wolves have lost five of their last six NBA home games, they could also fall victim to the resurgent Californians tonight.
Summary: Lebron James, at his age, is no longer a season-long difference-maker. That’s because the now 38-year-old is far too injury-prone for that.
But in a single all-or-nothing game like this one, he can score more of the necessary points on the board that Los Angeles needs to keep Minnesota at bay.
In addition, Anthony Davis is also fit, which is why both LAL superstars will be in the starting five tonight – a rather rare sight this season, which the Wolves will also get to see for the first time!
My Timberwolves Lakers tip: The purple and golds win narrowly.
