The Timberwolves Are The Heavy Underdogs Against The Lakers

This is not unexpected from ESPN because most people will see LeBron James and Luka Doncic playing on the same team and come up with the same conclusion. However, this matchup might be too close to call as a clean sweep across the board.

The Timberwolves are not a bad team, as they have some of the most talented groups in the league. They have some weak points that the Lakers could exploit, like the Doncic vs Rudy Gobert switch or Mike Conley being too small against the Lakers lineup. However, the Lakers also have weaknesses that the Timberwolves could exploit in the series.

The Timberwolves Have A Better Chance Than Most People Expect

Many fans and analysts have pointed out that having Luka is essentially a cheat code against the Timberwolves. Doncic is a well-documented superstar who led the Dallas Mavericks to beat the Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals, four games to one, a year ago.

The Slovenian star averaged 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game in that series. It is fair for people to expect him to pop off like that again, but coach Chris Finch and the Timberwolves have a week to prepare for this matchup, which helps them with the matchup.

Minnesota is a much better team than most expect because they had a rollercoaster year. Overcoming the obstacles has strengthened them at the right time because they have found a model that works. That could propel them over the Lakers.

Edwards is the clear-cut star who averaged 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game this season. Having Gobert and Julius Randle playing well could pose a problem for Los Angeles. The Lakers might be the favorite because of their sheer talent, but the Timberwolves are not too far behind with their team, which could overpower them with size in the frontcourt.

The Series Will Be Fun To Watch

No matter who wins the series between Los Angeles and Minnesota, it is certain to have some fireworks. The Lakers playing their first series with Luka and LeBron against a promising team with Ant Edwards as the superstar should lead to some dramatic games.

The chess match between Finch and Lakers head coach JJ Redick will also be exciting. They will look to outwit each other, as they are evenly matched with their regular season records only separated by one game.

ESPN might have the Timberwolves as the underdog, but that will only fuel their competitive fire. Finch is motivating the team, but seeing everyone doubt them should be significant as they look to win the series and advance to the second round.