2 Best NBA Bets and Player Props for Timberwolves vs. Lakers in Game 5 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 Minnesota Timberwolves face the Los Angeles Lakers at 10 p.m. ET in Game 5 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.

Timberwolves at Lakers Game 5 Betting Picks

First-Quarter Spread Lakers -1.5 (-142)

The Lakers have their backs against the wall, and as a result, I think we'll see them come out as the more aggressive team -- which puts me on this first-quarter bet.

In a somewhat similar type of spot in Game 4, the Lakers' starting five helped LA win the first quarter by four points and the third quarter by 13 before Minnesota rallied in the fourth to take the game. Despite losing both contests in Minnesota, the Lakers played pretty well outside of the fourth quarters, losing the fourth by 10 in Game 3 and 13 in Game 4.

Maybe the more apt comparison for Game 5 is actually Game 2. After losing the series opener at home, LA couldn't afford to drop Game 2, as well. The Lakers blitzed the Wolves right from the jump, winning the first quarter by 19 points.

I think we'll see a huge sense of urgency from LeBron James and Luka Doncic, and I like backing LA to win the first stanza by at least two points.

Julius Randle Under 20.5 Points (-132)

Julius Randle has been excellent through the first four games of this series. I'm not sure he can keep it up.

So far in the series, Randle is averaging 22.5 points per game on 47.6% shooting, including a 45.5% clip from three. That three-point percentage is bound to regress eventually as Randle hit just 34.4% of his three-balls this regular season. A year ago, Randle's three-point percentage was 31.1%. The hot shooting has led to Randle taking 2.2 more shots per night this series than he did this past regular season.

As of Wednesday morning, our NBA player projections are pretty low on Randle for Game 5, projecting him to score only 13.9 points. I'm not that low on him, but I like the idea of taking him under 20.5 points.

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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.