The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves heading back to L.A. down 3-1 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. After bouncing back from a Game 1 loss by winning Game 2, the Lakers lost both games in Minnesota and are now on the brink of elimination.
The Lakers are 5.5-point favorites for Game 5 Wednesday, according to SportsLine consensus odds, and are -240 on the money line (bet $240 to win $100). The Timberwolves are +197 underdogs on the money line (bet $100 to win $197), and the over/under is 209.5.
If the Lakers are going to force Game 6, they almost certainly will need a big game from LeBron James, who scored 27 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in a narrow 116-113 Game 4 loss. Anthony Edwards dominated that game, scoring 43 points and dishing out six assists while also recording nine rebounds. James' rebounds and Edwards points, rebounds and assists are all key parts of Wednesday's NBA same-game parlay created using the SportsLine Projection Model.
Before you make any prop bets on Timberwolves-Lakers Game 5, you need to be following what the SportsLine Projection Model says. It refreshes the most recent data and can help you spot discrepancies in the lines. The SportsLine model, which can be found on every game forecast page on SportsLine under the "Prop Picks" tab, assigns ratings of up to five stars for each projected value play on every NBA slate. Those picks can help build winning parlays on DraftKings, FanDuel, PrizePicks, Underdog Fantasy or Sleeper Fantasy and in same-game parlays on any betting site.
Here are the SportsLine model's three highest-rated player prop recommendations for Timberwolves-Lakers as well as what the payout would be if they were put into a same-game parlay. To see the latest projections for Timberwolves-Lakers as well as expert picks for the NBA Playoffs, make sure to visit SportsLine.
Timberwolves-Lakers Same-Game Parlay (+739)
- LeBron James Under 9.5 total rebounds (-102): 4 stars
- Anthony Edwards Under 40.5 total points + rebounds + assists (-110): 4 stars
Mike Conley Over 3.5 total assists (+122): 4 stars
James is one of the best all-around players in NBA history and he's shown that this playoff series, averaging 26.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists. The model is specifically targeting his rebounds prop for Game 5, and his line of 9.5 is an interesting one considering that's what he's averaged this series. The model is taking the Under, projecting James to bring down 7.8 boards in Game 5. James has finished Under this prop in four of the last five games the Lakers were favored, averaging 5.4 rebounds per game over that span.
Edwards is coming off a monster Game 4 and looking for more in order to put away James and the Lakers. While the model does expect Edwards to have a big game once again, it's taking the Under on his 40.5 PRA prop with a projection of 35.2. Edwards has finished Under his PRA prop in four of his last five road games against top-10 defenses.
Conley isn't the star he used to be, but he's been a nice bench player for the Timberwolves this year. The model likes the Over on his 3.5 assists line, and it doesn't hurt that this prop comes in at plus money. The model projects him to record 4.2 assists against the Lakers, and he's finished Over on this prop in six of the last 10 games in which the Timberwolves were underdogs.
