The Los Angeles Lakers welcomed the Minnesota Timberwolves to Staples Center Tuesday for the second night of a back-to-back. After a convincing win at Golden State the night before, the Lakers looked to off a struggling Minnesota team just as easily. A season-high 37 assists as a team propelled them to their third straight win.
Trading baskets
Ten-day signee Damian Jones started at Center again for the Lakers with Marc Gasol still out and Anthony Davis still nursing an Achilles injury. Jones sent an early message with a rim-rocking dunk in the first play of the game and another a few possessions later. However, Minnesota showed no intimidation in the quarter, trading baskets with the Lakers for a tied ballgame midway through. Four ties and 4 lead changes made for a competitive quarter that left the Lakers ahead 31-30 at the break.
The up-and-down theme of the first period rolled over into the second. The Lakers went up by as much as 5 points, but Minnesota kept their composure and took a 2-point lead. Back-to-back three-pointers by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alfonso McKinnie put the Lakers right back on top, however. The defense was lacking for both teams in the half, with the Lakers shooting 63 percent from the field and Minnesota shooting 59 percent.
The number of free throws attempted collectively in the half could serve as a reasonable explanation for such efficient shooting. The Lakers and Wolves shot over 30 free throws combined, with attempts being fairly balanced. By the end of the half, the Lakers found themselves ahead, 71-70.
Working for the win
Rookie Anthony Edwards came out of the locker room blazing, hitting 2 straight triples to snatch the lead for Minnesota early in the third. The Lakers started out cold, but LeBron James sparked some energy for his squad. James blocked a Jake Layman dunk attempt just before knocking down a three on the other end to ignite a 15 to 3 run. After the game saw its 11th even score, the Lakers ended the quarter with a 102-94 lead and never looked back.
Applying pressure
A strong effort on both ends helped the Lakers pick up where they left off to start the final period. An increase in defensive intensity propelled them to their largest lead of the game. James helped keep the cushion between his team and Minnesota with 3 straight pick-and-roll dimes to Montrezl Harrell for dunks. Soon after, Harrell nearly brought the house down with a monstrous put-back jam with just over 4 minutes left.
With a pair of James threes to seal the deal, this game was out of reach for Minnesota. A balanced effort helped the Lakers (27-13) pull away to capture a 137-121 win over Minnesota (9-31).
“Honestly, I’m just out here enjoying myself – enjoying my life… playing the game I love with all the passion that I have,” Harrell said after the win. “When it comes to [James], it becomes a lot easier because you have a guy that can do so much on the offensive end of the floor.”
Averaging 23 points over the previous 3 games, Harrell dropped 25 on 11 of 16 shooting and added 6 assists. James also came up big in the box score with his second straight triple double. He matched Harrell’s 25 points while adding 12 rebounds and 12 assists, leading his team in all categories. A total of 6 Lakers players scored in double figures. Dennis Schroder, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Kyle Kuzma each had 16 points, and Markieff Morris added 12.
Edwards and Karl Anthony-Towns led Minnesota with 29 points apiece. Veteran guard Ricky Rubio chipped in 19 points with 12 assists.
The Lakers will next host LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets for a matchup Thursday at 7:30 p.m. PST.
