Lakers vs Timberwolves: Game 1 Prediction & Series Insight

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00:00Game one is our nightcap on a Saturday.

00:02The Lakers a four-point home favorite,

00:04total 216.5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

00:08JY, what will game one of this opening round series

00:11tell us about what we are going to see the remainder of the way

00:14between Anthony Edwards and Minnesota, LeBron, Luka, and the Lakers?

00:19It's going to be about how much can Anthony Edwards carry this team.

00:23Simply put, I like him to have the most serious points at plus 165.

00:28So game one is going to be a little bit of a test,

00:31and I think Anthony is going to try and push the pace a little bit

00:34because I don't see anyone on the Lakers team that can stop it.

00:37That being said, I do like the Lakers do to cover the game

00:40in a really tight contest, minus four.

00:43I think the game will stay around that 216.5,

00:46but this is going to be a long series, Ben,

00:49a long series that I would take the plus one-and-a-half games

00:54for Minnesota at minus 148.

00:56This thing is going to be a long series, probably going seven.

01:01We take a look at the Lakers as a favorite here

01:02at the Fan Blue Sportsbook for the series price at a minus 186,

01:05which is a heavy favorite,

01:06and I do think it's going to be a very competitive series.

01:09What can the Timberwolves do to frustrate the Los Angeles Lakers

01:12superstar in this series, JY?

01:14Well, I just think the fact that, one,

01:16you want to engage Luka defensively.

01:18This is a Luka Dodgers that struggles defensively sometimes

01:20to stay focused.

01:21I think, and it's got to be an issue,

01:24and I think they have to be able to counteract

01:26what J.J. Redick does in regards to the center position.

01:29Do they play more minutes with Jackson Hayes

01:31and maybe a little bit of Alex Lenn,

01:33or do they give the minutes with Rui Hachimura?

01:36Obviously, Coach Fritz has got to be able to adjust,

01:39play Rudy against the bigs,

01:41but I think the bigger problem the Lakers have is,

01:43I think if they go small with Rui Hachimura,

01:45I think Nasri kicks his tail the entire series.

01:47So you've got to be able to see which way J.J. Redick goes

01:50and then counteract that with your bigs.

01:53I think that's where the advantage could also lie

01:54with Minnesota.