2 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Lakers vs. Timberwolves in Game 3 of the Playoffs

The NBA playoffs are here, and even within a single game, betting markets are abundant.

You can bet traditional markets like the spread or the total, but we've also got tons of player-prop markets to sift through.

Which bets stand out today as the Los Angeles Lakers face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of the Western Conference Playoffs?

Let's dig into the best bets in FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA betting odds, utilizing FanDuel Research's NBA projections to try to find value.

Lakers at Timberwolves Game 3 Betting Picks

Timberwolves -3 (-115)

Over two games, this series has been all over the place. We saw the T-Wolves defeat the Lake Show by 22 points in Game 1. Los Angeles answered by holding a comfortable lead over Minnesota for most of Game 2, winning by nine points. With a change of scenery in Game 3, what can we expect for tonight's meeting?

Frankly, this series could go either way, as the first two games demonstrated. This one's coming down to a gut feeling for me. Despite the Lakers controlling most of Game 2, the Timberwolves still made a push in the fourth quarter. This was with Minnesota shooting 38.0% from the floor and 5 of 25 from three-point land (20.0%).

During the regular season, the Timberwolves had the sixth-highest shot distribution from three (per Dunks & Threes) while making the fifth-most and attempting the sixth-most three-pointers per contest. Meanwhile, L.A. finished with the 12th-highest three-point shot distribution allowed along with giving up the 14th-most shot attempts from deep per game. With that said, Minnesota shooting only 5 of 25 across the board feels far from sustainable.

Before Game 2, the Wolves averaged 38.2 three-point shots per game over five meetings with the Lakers this season. That's close to Minnesota's season-long average of 39.7 and Los Angeles' allowing 38.0 per game. If the attempts are present, the Timberwolves shoot 37.7% from three (fourth-highest). Along with the low attempts, Game 2's 20.0% three-point percentage from Minnesota feels bound to come up.

With that said, I remain confident about this matchup for the Wolves. Not only can they find success from downtown, they have an advantage on the glass paired with stout defensive numbers. MasseyRatings' projections are expecting a cover with the T-Wolves winning by six.

Timberwolves Over 105.5 Points (-114)

Backing Minnesota to cover is hinging on a bounce back from beyond the arc. Therefore, taking the Timberwolves to go over their team total is ideal in this spot.

We aren't asking for much with the total set at 105.5 points. Minnesota records 114.0 points per game (PPG) across the full season while boasting the 11th-highest effective field goal percentage (eFG%). With the Wolves ranking 8th in offensive rating, the Lakers ranking 17th in defensive rating shouldn't cause many worries. One could argue this defensive rating is still a bit elevated from Anthony Davis suiting up in 42 games for Los Angeles this season.

We've covered the Timberwolves' angle to knocking down more threes. Extra possessions helps the total, too, for Minnesota posted the 13th-highest offensive rebounding percentage in the regular season, and L.A. finished with the 12th-lowest defensive rebounding rate and 11th-fewest defensive rebounds per contest. Once again, one could argue this is slightly elevated from Davis' time in Los Angeles.

DRatings' projections are more hesitant on the spread with the Timberwolves winning by 3.3 points, but it still has Minnesota logging 110.7 points. Along with MasseyRatings forecasting a 112-point total, the T-Wolves should have enough in the toolbox to go over 105.5 points.

You can also check out our latest 2025 NBA Playoffs printable bracket, which includes the seeding and matchups for each conference.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.