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The LA Lakers will hope to break their eight-year opening night losing streak when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday (Oct. 22). They last won their season opener in 2016 against the Houston Rockets, but a victory on a season tipoff skirmish has eluded them since.
Both teams come off contrasting summers. The Timberwolves swung for a massive trade that saw them trade Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. Moolah matters aside, the trade does look beneficial for Minnesota as it adds more offensive firepower and playmaking depth.
A consistent DiVincenzo can be the perfect backcourt partner for Anthony Edwards. Randle's addition has much to do with how the forward fares after taking the court following his season-ending shoulder injury last season. The three-time NBA All-Star averaged 24.0 points per game in 46 appearances for the Knicks before going down with a gnarly injury.
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The Lakers had a quiet offseason. LeBron James' willingness to take a pay cut didn't translate to any major moves as they lost all of their trade targets to their West Conference rivals. Klay Thompson picked the Dallas Mavericks, DeMar DeRozan found a new home in Sacramento, and former New Orleans Pelicans big Jonas Valenciunas inked a deal with the Washington Wizards.
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That said, the Lakers have looked different under JJ Redick. The former sharpshooter comes into the fold with new plans that not only promise the Lakers a deeper playoff run but also lays the foundation for the post-James future. The Purple and Gold will once again back on a seasoned veteran, versatile F/C Anthony Davis, and the continuity of their roster from the last two seasons.
The Lakers played the Timberwolves four times last season with the latter winning 3-1. Head-to-head, the Lakers boast of an 85-44 regular-season record against their opponents in 129 games.
LA Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves preview, predicted starting lineups, odds, and prediction
The LA Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves marquee matchup tips off at 10:30 pm ET in LA. Local coverage will be on TNT. Viewers can also watch the game on Sling and the NBA app with a subscription to the NBA League Pass.
Here's a quick look at the odds as listed at the time of writing.
Note: Odds are subject to change closer to tip-off
LA Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves preview
Narratives matter when talking about this matchup. LeBron James takes the floor in his 22nd season in the league. He will be sharing the floor with his son Bronny James at some point this season, marking another iconic moment in his storied career. While defying father time, the four-time NBA champion will now ply his trade under newly-minted head coach JJ Redick as he begins his quest to win his fifth championship, and his second with the Lakers.
Then comes Redick himself, a first-time head coach whose hire this summer wasn't without drama. After being pegged as the frontrunner to land the role, the Lakers made headlines by throwing UConn stalwart coach Dan Hurley in the mix before going to back their original choice who was picked for his astute understanding of the game, attention to detail, and his meticulous work ethic to the sport that made him one of the lethal shooters to have played in the NBA.
All said the basic expectation from a team that has James in the mix is a title, their 2-4 preseason run aside. LA has Anthony Davis, who is now regarded as the bonafide face of the side with their aging superstar hitting the twilight of his career. However, much of their hopes will rest on their star duo to deliver another championship. How they do it with a first-timer in Redick and a squad that toggles between promising and streaky forms the crux of their season plotline.
The Timberwolves have lofty expectations from Edwards. His rise has been meteoric, but the guard and the franchise have been playoff contenders despite their pristine quality. Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, and Jaden McDaniels will form the backbone of their defense again — one that was second to the top-placed Boston Celtics. Reid also comes in with Randle to fill the void Towns leaves. The duo, along with DiVincenzo will have to inject more into the offense spearheaded by Edwards.
Minnesota has continuity too, and if their support cast can replicate their form from the last season, they stand a chance to separate themselves from the rest of the pack early on this season. The Gobert - Randle - McDaniels lineup provides a potential halfcourt spacing problem forcing coach Chris Finch to get creative to generate better looks for his legitimate snipers in Edwards and Conley. If that synergy fails in the first game, expect turbulence in the contests to come.
The Lakers have made some strategic changes. Finetuning their offense has been the top priority for Redick, and that resulted in a good run of form for WIP players Max Christie and Dalton Knecht. Rui Hachimura started with a bang with his physical barrages to the rim and a smooth jumper to boot.
Whether Davis sustains his 3-point attempts is still put in a question mark, as is his health and James'. If the Lakers, projected to win 45 games this season need to hit that mark, they will need more floor time from their stars, and games where the D'Angelo Russell-Austin Reaves backcourt will have to fire in unison.
LA Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves predicted starting lineups
Redick confirmed LA's starters well ahead of the preseason games. With one of their starting five listed on the injury report, all key names are expected to take the court.
The secondary unit will see Gabe Vincent, Max Christie, Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and Jaxson Hayes in the mix. Bronny James seeing minutes will be something to watch out for.
LA Lakers injury: Jarred Vanderbilt (foot), Christian Wood (knee), and Christian Koloko (illness) are ruled out from Tuesday's contest.
The Timberwolves in all likelihood will slot in Randle for Towns. They will likely stick to the starting combination action they fielded against the Chicago Bulls in the preseason with Mike Conley Jr. forming the backcourt alongside Edwards.
The bench unit will see Donte DiVincenzo, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Naz Reid, Joe Inglis, Rob Dillingham, and PJ Dozier.
Minnesota Timberwolves injury: None.
LA Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves betting tips
Anthony Davis is under -127 and is projected with 21.7 points making him a good bet. LeBron James is a profitable option with the seasoned veteran projected at 22.1 points (under -119). For the T-Wolves, keep an eye out for guard Anthony Edwards (25 points scored, under -125).
LA Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves prediction
An undervalued and unpredictable LA team is a bonafide threat. The preseason loss to Minnesota isn't a starting point to gauge what LA is capable of this season. The T-Wolves will hope to nail the synergy between Edwards and Randle quickly, while their defense will be a tough matchup for the Purple and Gold. If James and/or Davis fire all cylinders, expect this to go LA's way.
Our take: Chalk up a Lakers win on Tuesday.
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