All eyes will be on Los Angeles this weekend as the NBA Playoffs officially get underway. The third-seeded Lakers will host the sixth-seeded Timberwolves in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series. While they split regular-season series 2-2, only one of those meetings featured Luka Doncic in a Lakers uniform.
Los Angeles enters this matchup as 4.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 218.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here are two bets that stand out for Saturday’s series opener.
Luka Doncic Over 45.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-110)
Doncic has consistently torched the Timberwolves in the playoffs. Across five career postseason games against Minnesota, Doncic averages 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists — good for a total of 50.2 combined points, boards and dimes.
Since being traded to the Lakers on Feb. 2, Doncic has picked up where he left off in Dallas, posting averages of 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 28 games with his new team.
“I like big games,” Doncic said. “Playoffs (are) a fun time. Everybody plays 100 percent. It’s just fun to be out there.”
Saturday marks the Slovenian superstar’s first playoff appearance with the Lakers, and he’ll be up against a Minnesota defense that has improved but remains vulnerable against elite pick-and-roll creators like Doncic. Given Doncic’s proven production in this exact matchup, the over on this combo line is worth targeting.
Lakers -4.5 (-110)
Despite splitting the season series, the Lakers looked like the stronger team when they had their full roster, especially with Doncic and LeBron James leading the way. In their most recent meeting on Feb. 27, Los Angeles secured a 111-102 win with Doncic posting 21 points and 13 rebounds, while James dropped 33 points and 17 boards.
Minnesota has been surging, closing the season on a 17-4 run behind the strong play of Anthony Edwards and a healthy Julius Randle. But the Lakers went 19-13 with Doncic in the lineup and entered the playoffs with chemistry and star power in their favor.
“We have a great team,” Doncic said this week. “We have guys that are willing to go to war. Everybody’s staying together. The chemistry is high. We do for sure have a chance (to win the title).”
Edwards, who averaged 27.6 points during the regular season, doesn’t mind the underdog label.
“I love the fact that everybody wants the Lakers to win. That’s how it’s supposed to be,” Edwards said.
But while the Wolves may embrace the chip on their shoulder, the Lakers have the edge in experience, home-court advantage, and top-end talent heading into Game 1.
