The Lakers will host the Timberwolves in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday, April 19. Ahead of the series, Lakers legend Magic Johnson offered his insights, explaining why he was “scared” about his former team’s chances of advancing to the second round.
“I’m scared for my Lakers because the game’s most exciting player, superstar Anthony Edwards, is a matchup problem,” Johnson wrote on X.
“If the Timberwolves beat my Lakers it’s because Naz Reid and Donte DiVenczo both have a big series,” Johnson wrote on X.
Lakers Open Betting Favorites
Unsurprisingly, the third-seeded Lakers enter the series as heavy betting favorites against the sixth-seeded Timberwolves. Per ESPNBet, the Lakers are -200 favorites to beat the Timberwolves and advance to the second round, with the over-under at 5.5 games to wrap up the series.
This would mark the first time in three years that the Lakers enter a playoff series as favorites after being sent home by the Nuggets in the 2023 and 2024 playoffs. Furthermore, the 2025 playoffs mark the first time since 2012 that the Lakers will have home-court advantage in the opening round.
The biggest talking point entering the series is Lakers guard Luka Doncic renewing his rivalry with the Timberwolves, whom he defeated as part of the Mavericks in the 2024 Western Conference Finals. In that series, Doncic took advantage of Rudy Gobert remaining in drop coverage and feasting against the big man in one-on-one matchups.
Luka Doncic versus Rudy Gobert Part II
Doncic is hoping to adopt the same strategy again against the four-time Defensive Player of the Year.
“Since I came to the league, I like to play pick-and-roll,” Doncic said, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “I like to get a center [like Gobert] on me.”
“I like big games,” Doncic continued. “Playoffs is a fun time. Everybody plays 100%. It’s just fun to be out there. Obviously they [Timberwolves] added two guys [Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle] that can really play and they have Ant. They have a lot of guys that can play, a lot of guys that can guard. So they’re very, very interesting.”
Doncic expressed confidence in his team’s ability to make a deep postseason run.
“I think we have a great team,” Doncic said. “We have guys that are willing to go to war. Everybody’s staying together. The chemistry is high. I think we do, for sure, have a chance [to win the championship].”
Doncic will be returning to the playoff stage after guiding the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Celtics. Meanwhile, his former team will try to qualify for the playoffs in the final play-in against the Grizzlies on April 18.
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