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The Minnesota Timberwolves will travel to Los Angeles on Sunday night to take on the LA Lakers at the new Crypto.com Arena.
The Minnesota Timberwolves find themselves ninth in the highly competitive Western Conference. They have a 16-19 record for the season and come into this game against the Lakers having lost their last two games. They have won only six games on the road all season and will now face the daunting LeBron James and the LA Lakers.
Meanwhile, the LA Lakers' inconsistent season rolls on despite the heroics of LeBron James. The Lakers are currently the seventh seed in the Western Conference and despite their treacherous start to the season, they find themselves only five games behind fourth seed Memphis Grizzlies.
That being said, the Lakers will have revenge on their minds after losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves last time around.
Match Details
Fixture: Minnesota Timberwolves vs LA Lakers | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Sunday, January 2nd; 9:30 PM ET (Monday, January 3rd; 8:00 AM).
Venue: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
With Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell, the Minnesota Timberwolves have the foundations set for a team that could potentially challenge for the championship in the near future. However, that is unlikely to happen in the ongoing campaign.
The Timberwolves find themselves six games behind fourth seed Memphis Grizzlies. A lack of consistency has been the root of all the problems for the Wolves this season. That is especially true with injuries and players entering the health and safety protocols laid down by the NBA.
But with more than half the season still to be played and if they can keep their key players fit, then there is absolutely no reason why the Minnesota Timberwolves can't reach the postseason this year.
Key Player - Anthony Edwards
Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell are both ruled out of the game against the LA Lakers as they are still in the Covid-19 protocols. The onus will fall on to the shoulders of Anthony Edwards, who is also returning from the health and safety protocols.
Edwards, this season, is averaging 22.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting the ball better than 36% from the beyond the arc and over 43% from the field. In just his second season in the NBA, Edwards is already showing superstar potential and could be a key figure for the Timberwolves franchise for years to come.
LA Lakers Preview
The LA Lakers have been hovering around the 0.500 mark all season long despite having championship aspirations and building a roster that has the potential to win the title.
They have won only four of their last 10 games and will have to make do without Anthony Davis for this game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, they have won two of their last three games against the Houston Rockets and the Portland Trail Blazers.
But with a fully fit roster available to head coach Frank Vogel, barring AD, the LA Lakers have the firepower to beat anyone on their day and will be looking to engritiate more consistency into the team.
Key Player - LeBron James
Arguably the greatest player of all time, LeBron James has been in fine form this season and is continuing to defy age and logic for the LA Lakers. Almost having to single-handedly carry this team, LeBron James is breaking records for fun every time he steps on to the court.
King James is averaging 28.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists while shooting over 52% from the field and higher than 37% from downtown. In his 19th season in the NBA, King James has recorded three triple-doubles this season and 11 double-doubles for the LA Lakers.
Predicted Lineups
Minnesota Timberwolves Predicted Lineup
Point Guard: Patrick Beverley; Shooting Guard: Malik Beasley; Small Forward: Anthony Edwards; Power Forward: Jarred Vanderbilt; Center: Naz Reid
LA Lakers Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Russell Westbrook; Shooting Guard - Malik Monk; Small Forward - Avery Bradley; Power Forward - Stanley Johnson; Center - LeBron James
Timberwolves vs Lakers Match Prediction
The Minnesota Timberwolves come into this game extremely shorthanded and are missing two of their most important players. Meanwhile, the LA Lakers have the momentum as they have won two of their last three games and with LeBron James playing the way he is, very few would bet against the Lakers from getting the job done.
Where to watch Timberwolves vs Lakers?
You can watch the action unfold between the Timberwolves and the Lakers on the NBA League Pass. The game will also be broadcast on local TV - SPECSN and BSN.
