The Minnesota Timberwolves won’t have their big-name center, Rudy Gobert, for Tuesday’s Play-In game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the team suspended him for their Play-In game against the Lakers, leaving them shorthanded in the frontcourt. The latest Rudy Gobert news has moved the Timberwolves-Lakers betting odds for their Play-In game, albeit only slightly.
The Timberwolves and Lakers will tip off at 10 p.m. ET. Those looking for an edge should heed this advice or check out OddsShopper’s tools for sharp NBA bets. A full subscription to OddsShopper Premium will help you find +ROI bets and become a profitable sports bettor!
Rudy Gobert Update – NBA Betting Impact
The Minnesota Timberwolves won’t have Rudy Gobert on Tuesday. They also won’t have backup center Naz Reid, who is indefinitely sidelined, or wing Jaden McDaniels, who fractured his hand by punching a wall during last Sunday’s game. The newly shorthanded Timberwolves will play at a considerable disadvantage on Tuesday. However, Gobert isn’t all that valuable of a piece for the Timberwolves. They are only 0.3 points more efficient with him on the floor than with him off it.
Without Gobert and McDaniels, the Timberwolves have a few options. They could slide Karl-Anthony Towns back over to center. This would allow them to start Kyle Anderson at power forward and Austin Rivers at small forward. They could also opt to use Anderson at small forward and Taurean Prince at power forward. All of those players have made starts this year. The Timberwolves could also keep Towns at power forward, but since none of their available reserve centers have started a game this year, that seems unlikely.
Timberwolves-Lakers NBA Betting Odds & Tips
The NBA betting odds didn’t react that much in the immediate wake of the news Rudy Gobert would sit for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves opened as a 5.5-point underdog to the Los Angeles Lakers, but they were trading as a 7-point underdog as of Monday morning. After the Timberwolves announced he wouldn’t travel with the team, the spread moved by only a half point to 7.5.
While it’s possible that some of that initial movement was in response to speculation Gobert would sit, it’s still concerning that a player the Timberwolves gave up so much to acquire last offseason is worth only two points to the betting markets. Still, bettors eager to get contrarian action on the Timberwolves should note that it’ll be difficult for them to win with a much-depleted rotation.
Minnesota went 2-1 against Los Angeles in the regular season, but 22-point performances from Gobert helped them considerably. Gobert was one of two members of Minnesota’s rotation to finish with a positive box plus-minus score in the lone loss. Further, Jaden McDaniels played tough defense and led the starters in box plus-minus in those wins.
Still, it’s worth noting that the Timberwolves are an impressive 8-4 straight up and 9-3 against the spread when Gobert sits. While the other injuries could prove problematic, most of those games without Gobert also came without Karl-Anthony Towns. Ultimately, buying the dip on Minnesota at DraftKings Sportsbook may prove sharp. Those new to DraftKings can earn $150 in bonus bets with a winning $5 moneyline wager. Bettors in Ohio can score the same deal but via this link instead!
