The Los Angeles Lakers came into Target Center on Friday desperate for a win but without LeBron James (out for personal reasons), it was a daunting task from the start. Unfortunately, the product on the floor was much worse than anyone would have imagined for the Lakers, who looked completely lost and disconnected on the floor against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It was a nightmare from the start for the Lake Show, who were outscored 32-23 in the first quarter. Without their leader and top player, the Lakers didn’t have enough to keep up with the young and spry Timberwolves, who won the game by 10 points (97-87) while holding the Lakers to 38% shooting.
As expected, Anthony Edwards led the way for Minnesota with 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist on 9-20 shooting in 32:37 minutes of play. Julius Randle dropped 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists on 7-16 shooting while Jaden McDaniels finished with 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 steals on 7-11 shooting.
For the Lakers, Anthony Davis tried his best to weather the storm with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks on 10-21 shooting but it wasn’t nearly enough to win the game. Austin Reaves dropped 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in the game on 6-16 shooting while Max Christie contributed 15 points 5 rebounds, and 2 assists on 5-9 shooting.
All-in-all, it was a miserable game for the Purple and Gold and the Timberwolves were able to cruise to victory to jump them in the standings. The Lakers, now 13-12, are down to 10th in the standings and their latest defeat is a strong indication that things will not get better on their own.
Stone Cold From Three
The Lakers didn’t crack 90 points tonight and it’s perhaps the biggest sign of a struggling offense. The biggest problem was the three-point shooting, where the Lakers went 10-35 (28.6%). So, despite solid defense, they had no chance to take control of the game.
Perimeter shooting is a must for the Lakers if they are to be competitive in the West. During their title run in 2020, they had guys like Kentavous Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, and Danny Green to space the floor. This year, they hoped that Cam Reddish, Austin Reaves, and Dalton Knecht could take over those roles… but that just hasn’t been the case.
Without the shooting to space the floor, the Lakers couldn’t get going and even Anthony Davis failed to generate good looks (shot 47.6%). This has been a consistent problem for the Lakers and it’s why finding some long-range snipers has become a top priority for the front office.
Careless Basketball
Another consistent problem for the Lakers was at work tonight: turnovers. The team gave up the ball 14 times in the first half alone due to miscommunication, lazy passes, and just all-around carelessness with the ball.
By the end of the game, the Lakers had 21 turnovers, which means that the Timberwolves were feasting off their mistakes all night long. Without LeBron James, the Lakers didn’t have anyone to run the offense and it created pressure on guys like Gabe Vincent, Rui Hachimura, and Max Christie to make plays.
Essentially, the Lakers reverted to old habits tonight and it cost them the chance at a win. If they want to turn the season around, they’ll have to improve on that end of the floor and clean up their careless turnovers.
No Help From Supporting Cast
The Lakers were shorthanded tonight, but they still had two stars to lead the way for them. With Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves, they were hoping it would be enough to steal a win on the road against one of the best teams in the West.
Instead, Davis and Reaves were the only two Lakers players to make a positive impact on the game. Davis pretty much carried the squad and when he wasn’t scoring, he was pulling the attention of the defense with his magnetic presence. Reaves also delivered on his dues, even though he shot just 37.5% from the field.
Max Christie was the only other Laker to score over 10 points and he was the only one on the team to shoot above 50% from the field. The bench combined for just 16 points on 6-20 shooting. Without the proper help, Davis was unable to lead the Lakers to a win and all they can do now is move on and prepare for the next game.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, it won’t get any easier from here. In two days, they have to face the Memphis Grizzlies at Crypto.com arena before heading to Golden 1 Center for a game against the Sacramento Kings on December 19th at 10:00 PM EST. It’s the first part of a two-game set against the Kings, which ends on Saturday, December 21st at 6:00 PM EST.
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