The Wolves are now favored to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals over the Lakers.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have emerged favorites to win the Round 1 series of the 2025 NBA Playoffs after winning the opening game by 117-95. On April 19, the Lakers, seeded third in the West, hosted the Wolves, seeded sixth, for the first game of the first-round playoff series. Before the clash, the star-studded Lakers were favorites to win the series with the odds of -190 on BetMGM.
However, following the game, the odds saw a dramatic shift, and turned completely in favor of the Wolves. The Wolves are now favored to clinch the series -140, while the Lakers have odds of +115. In fact, BetMGM also suggests that the Lakers would win the series 4-3 or Wolves would win 4-2 at identical odds of +350.
Talking about the first game, Luka Doncic had great hopes with his playoff debut in Gold and Purple. While the Slovenian posted 37 points, eight rebounds, and one assist, things didn’t go as planned. As a result, the Lakers were taken down by a huge margin of 22 points.
The Lakers struggled offensively in the opening game and while the former Mavericks star tried to shoulder responsibility for his side, he, too, slowed down in the second quarter. LeBron James remained scoreless in the first quarter and dropped 10 points in the second period. Things didn’t get better for them in the second half as well. The Wolves continued their dominance and finished the third quarter with a lead of 16 points at 94-78.
Also Read: Luka Doncic NBA Playoffs Record – What is Doncic’s Win-Loss Record in the NBA Playoffs?
With less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Wolves went on a 11-2 run which extended their lead to 111-90. Even then, the Lakers continued their struggle with turnovers and missed shots. The Wolves took down the counterparts 117-95, and had 21 three-pointers, setting up a new franchise high.
Jaden McDaniels finished with 25 points for the Wolves while Naz Reid came up with 23 points. Ant-Man scored 22 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. On the other hand, apart from Doncic, no other player could reach the 20-point mark. They had LeBron James scoring 19 points, while Austin Reaves poured 16 points.
After leading the series 1-0, the Wolves will be up against the Lakers in the second game on Tuesday, April 22, at Crypto.com Arena. They will aim to continue their winning run, while the Lakers would eye for a sound comeback to avoid the possibilities of a quick ending. According to odds, the Lakers are favored to win the second game at -105 with a -5.5 spread.
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