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The seventh-place LA Lakers (43-39) will take on the eighth-place Minnesota Timberwolves (41-40) in the play-in game on Tuesday, April 11. The game is set to begin at 10 p.m. EDT. The Lakers are -7 point favorites.
Los Angeles and Minnesota were part of a midseason trade. The Wolves traded D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley to the Lakers. The players Minnesota sent to the Lakers are excited for their revenge game. Los Angeles is 18-8 since the trade.
Former Wolves stars have found their way with the LA Lakers
LA went 1-2 against Minnesota during the regular season. The Lakers are 1-1 against the Wolves since the trade. In the new Lakers' first game against their old team, Russell did not play.
Vanderbilt and Beasley played and scored 23 points in a 110-102 Lakers loss on March 3 in Los Angeles. Vanderbilt, Russell and Beasley totaled 33 points in a 123-111 win for the Lakers on March 31 in Minneapolis.
Russell, Vanderbilt and Beasley have found success in Los Angeles. Russell has averaged 17.8 points and 6.2 assists per game this season. The guard averaged 20.0 ppg in April with the Lakers and scored double figures in the final three games of the season.
Vanderbilt averaged 7.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game . He has scored double figures eight times since joining the LA Lakers. Vanderbilt is proving his value with his efficiency. He shot 50.0% in March and 55.0% in April.
Beasley has averaged 12.7 ppg this season and shot 35.7% from 3-point range. He has maintained similar numbers from downtown since arriving in Los Angeles.
The LA Lakers will need contributions from all three in order to advance past the Timberwolves and into the first round of the playoffs.
LA will take on the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies if they defeat Minnesota. If LA loses, they will take on the winner from the Thunder vs. Pelicans game in the 9-10 play-in. If the LA Lakers win that game, it will earn the eighth seed in the first round and will take on the Denver Nuggets.
