The Los Angeles Lakers (25-23) are listed as small home underdogs at sportsbooks in their quest to end a two-game skid against the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves (23-24) on Thursday.

The Lakers are still playing without star LeBron James (groin) and have gone 5-9 straight up in 14 games without him since he was injured on Christmas Day.

NBA point spread: The Timberwolves opened as 1.5-point favorites; the total is at 229, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)

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Why the Timberwolves can cover the spread

Minnesota may not be as good as Los Angeles when James is in the lineup, but the team is hoping to take advantage of his absence here with a victory.

The Timberwolves are coming off a home-and-home sweep of the Phoenix Suns to end a two-game losing streak themselves, and they also won four of their previous five games before that.

Karl-Anthony Towns totaled 55 points, 30 rebounds and 11 assists in those two wins over the Suns, and he has scored in double figures in every game since the season opener.

Why the Lakers can cover the spread

Bettors should have expected the Lakers to be a much different team minus James, as they have still managed to go 6-7-1 against the spread despite losing nine times.

The Lakers are 4-3-1 ATS on the NBA betting lines in their last eight games, including an impressive 138-128 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder as 10-point underdogs a week ago.

They followed that up by covering the spread as seven-point underdogs two days later in a 138-134 road loss to the Houston Rockets.

Timberwolves vs. Lakers NBA betting pick

Minnesota has dominated this matchup with Los Angeles recently, winning six of the past seven meetings both SU and ATS.

The Timberwolves destroyed the Lakers 108-86 as eight-point home favorites in the most recent meeting on January 6 behind 28 points apiece from Towns and Andrew Wiggins, who scored 25 in the first half alone.

While Rajon Rondo is expected to return from a finger injury, Los Angeles is missing James and second-year point guard Lonzo Ball. That lack of depth will hurt the Lakers in this spot, so bet on the road team to cover its fifth in a row in the series with an easy win.

OddsShark computer pick: 116.9-116.1, Lakers (Get NBA picks on every game via the OddsShark computer)

NBA betting trends

The total has gone over in 15 of Minnesota's last 18 games.

Minnesota is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games when playing Los Angeles.

LA Lakers is 2-3-1 ATS in its last six games.

All NBA odds and betting trends according to Bleacher Report's official odds partner, OddsShark. Check out OddsShark on Twitter and Instagram or head to YouTube for more betting picks and analysis on this week's top games. You can also download the free odds tracker app.