After an ice-cold start to the game, the Lakers roared back to win their third straight game, knocking off the Wolves, 120-106.
The win gives the Lakers a season sweep of Minnesota. All three wins came without LeBron James, who missed Tuesday’s game with both a hip contusion and left foot arthritis.
LA opened the game with an abysmal performance in the first quarter, scoring just 16 points. By halftime, they had tied the game up before exploding for 39 points in the third to take complete control of the game.
The Lakers turned 11 Minnesota turnovers into 20 points and scored 56 points in the paint to Minnesota’s 42. That helped them overcome the Wolves’ 61-27 advantage in bench points.
Both teams started the game cold from the field until Anthony Edwards converted on a jumper in the paint. Julius Randle then drained a triple after LA missed another shot as part of a string of seven straight missed field goals. Marcus Smart stopped that drought with a layup at the 7:25 mark.
Luka Dončić stopped a 9-0 Minnesota run with a layup.
With 2:19 left in the period, LA had only put up nine points. They were 0-9 from behind the arc and were shooting 20% from the field. Smart was leading the team with five points and Luka was close behind with four.
Neither team could make a 3-pointer, shooting a combined 1-23 from behind the arc.
The rest of the first frame saw Los Angeles add more points, but they continued to look rough. Luka only made two of his 10 shot attempts. Despite the struggles, the purple and gold trailed by five entering the second frame.
Rudy Gobert opened the second quarter by being fouled and converting on one of two free throws. Luke Kennard scored on a midrange jumper on the other end. There was a huge lid on the basket for LA, as they were up to 11 missed triples.
Deandre Ayton scored a quick four in a row, giving Los Angeles a boost.
Naz Reid and Ayo Dosunmu both had five points off the bench for the Timberwolves. Ayton scored again, giving him eight points with his 10 rebounds. Austin Reaves tied the game with a layup.
Donte DiVincenzo put the Wolves back in the lead with a 3-pointer.
Luka knocked down the first Laker three in 16 attempts. Ayton entered double figures with 10 points. Fortunately for LA, Anthony Edwards had only three points so far. With 2:42 left in the half, Minnesota was up by two.
Luka started heating up as the quarter was winding down, scoring five points. He had a total of eight in the quarter. Rui Hachimura tied the game heading into the locker rooms after he drained a 3-pointer.
The third period began with Smart drawing a charge on Edwards. On the other end, Luka scored on a layup, which put LA ahead. After only scoring two points in the first half, Austin Reaves finally scored again on a layup.
Hachimura, unfortunately, picked up his fifth foul and was forced to sit early.
Luka went on a 6-0 run himself to give Los Angeles a seven-point lead at the 8:13 mark. Minnesota was on a six-minute scoring drought. Jake LaRavia put up five points despite his shooting woes.
At the halfway mark, Reid scored on a hook shot, breaking the Wolves’ drought.
Reaves was now in double figures with 16 after draining a triple, completing a three-point play, and capping it off with a four-point play. He had 14 in the quarter.
Kennard then converted on a layup that put the Lakers up by 19 and forced a timeout.
At the end of the third, LA was up by 16 points.
The final frame began with Kennard scoring four in a row. Reaves converted on yet another four-point play as LA kept its foot on the gas. With 7:15 left, the purple and gold were up by 18.
Both teams started getting chippy with Jarred Vanderbilt and Donte picking up technical fouls. The deficit did get cut to 15, but Los Angeles responded fast with back-to-back threes from Smart and Luka.
Minnesota scored five in a row to make it a 16-point game at the 5:29 mark.
Luka and Ayton combined for a quick four points to put the finishing touches on the win. The Timberwolves emptied their bench at the 3:55 mark.
Key Player Stats
Luka finished with a triple-double of 31 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Reaves ended with 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Ayton scored 14 points with 12 rebounds.
Kennard notched 10 points. LaRavia pitched in with eight points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Hachimura had nine points and Smart put up eight points.
The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday at 7:30 PM PT.
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