It’s not quite do-or-die time for the Los Angeles Lakers, but their backs are against the wall after getting blown out by the Minnesota Timberwolves at home in Game 1 this past Saturday. Los Angeles has had 2 full days off as it tries to bounce back in this Western Conference first-round series, so will the tide begin to turn on Tuesday night?
Here is my Same Game Parlay for the action, which tips off at 10:00 pm ET on TNT. Also be sure to check out all of our NBA playoff picks.
Part of the value in a Same Game Parlay, of course, is that all of its components can be correlated if you so choose. That is some of the plan here, as Timberwolves big man Naz Reid scoring his fair share of points would obviously work well with a win by the visitors. At the same time, plays that aren’t correlated drive up the overall payout of the parlay. That is the case with also backing Lakers guard Austin Reaves to drain a couple of 3-pointers. But even if does, there is no reason why Minnesota can’t get the job done. Let’s break down all of the SGP legs.
Is there a chance that the Timberwolves are content with taking at least 1 game in L.A. and then get blown out in Game 2? It is possible. But it is even more likely that they are simply the better team and seize a borderline insurmountable 2-0 advantage. After the Lakers got humiliated 117-95 in the series opener, head coach JJ Redick talked about how his guys had their best practice of the season in advance of Tuesday’s contest. Practice?!?! We’re talkin’ about practice?!?! You know that when a coach is trying to restore confidence by insisting that his team is practicing hard, you know there’s a problem. Perhaps L.A.’s biggest problem is Minnesota. The T-Wolves might be seeded sixth, but they are much better than that number suggests. Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle are all healthy at the right time, while Reid and Jaden McDaniels (team-high 25 points in Game 1) are also playing great. Give me the visitors with awesome value at +200 on the money line.
The Lakers’ lost their defensive stopper in the paint when they traded Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic. That’s why they followed up that blockbuster deal by getting Mark Williams from Charlotte in exchange for Dalton Knecht. However, that transaction fell through when Williams failed a physical. As such, Los Angeles’ defense is left lacking down low. Reid took advantage by delivering 23 points in Game 1. Dating back to the 2023-24 Western Conference Finals, the former LSU standout has scored at least 14 points in 4 of his last 6 playoff appearances. This guy simply rises to the occasion in the biggest moments. Look for Reid to have another big night on Tuesday.
Obviously I’m not going to back LeBron James to score 40 points or something like that when we need the Timberwolves to win. But a couple of 3-pointers are only 6 points, so it’s not like a modest effort from Reaves beyond the arc will have a negative impact on Minnesota’s chances of winning. And 2 triples should be a lock for Reaves. The Oklahoma product has drained at least 3 shots from the land of plenty in 6 of his last 7 games and in 8 of last 10. Despite his team getting clobbered on Saturday, Reaves went 3-for-8 from distance.
