MINNEAPOLIS – – The Minnesota Timberwolves have picked up victories against tough teams, including this one against the uncharacteristically moving Los Angeles Lakers.
The next track for Minnesota, just the second postseason appearance to close the franchise in 18 years, will offer a much tougher test.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 16 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to help the Timberwolves beat the Lakers 124-104 on Wednesday night for their ninth win in the last 10 games.
Anthony Edwards had 20 of his 27 points in the second quarter to lead to the early flooding of the Timberwolves, who never got in their way and stayed within 1 1/2 games of Denver for sixth place in the Western Conference.
Their next seven opponents are all in the top seven in either conference, end of April 1 street game against the Nuggets.
“We need that now, a check under the hood, if you will,” coach Chris Finch said.
Minnesota had a 25-point second-quarter lead on four from the Los Angeles Bank in the fourth quarter, but Towns – who had a franchise record of 60 points in the last game – helped the Timberwolves stabilize. Patrick Beverley scored 18 points and plenty of Pep.
“We made the game competitive. We can’t do that. We can’t play with our food outside,” said Towns, who had 13 of Minnesota’s 51 rebounds.
LeBron James, who played through knee pain, had just 19 points on 8-for-21 shots to lead the Lakers. He has a total of 111 points over the three previous games. The Lakers, who have sidelined Anthony Davis from a foot injury for the last 11 games on the side, have lost 16 of their last 21 games.
“It’s easy to be comfortable when you win. I was never that type. It’s all about, ‘How comfortable can you be when things get uncomfortable?’ I’m OK with that, too, “said James. “It just tests my patience more than any season in recent years, just because of the way we play.”
Carmelo Anthony had 16 points for the Lakers, who dropped a season-worst 11 games under the .500 mark at 29-40. James has not played on a team so far under even since his rookie year, when Cleveland ended the 2003-04 season at 35-47.
According to ESPN, this is also the first time in James’ career that his team has been left with 25 or more points in three straight games. The Lakers are just one game ahead of 10th place New Orleans, precariously close to the cut for the play-in tournament.
When Russell Westbrook shot an airball on a 3-pointer with 3:58 left in a 111-94 deficit, the Towns climbed to the base where the ball bounced and, looking at the crowd, his Hand placed against his forehead as he mocked. made as if I was trying to find it.
“When you’re up, everything’s going great. When you’re down, they hit you,” said Lakers guard Wayne Ellington. “So right now, we’re being kicked.”
The Timberwolves put a 67-46 lead into the closet at halftime, but the Lakers made a bit of a play out of it. Westbrook froze his pursuing hand on the spot while posing for a 3-pointer that put the Lakers ahead 73-64 with 6:03 left in the third quarter.
DJ Augustin drained a 3 in the third-quarter buzzer and dropped early in the fourth quarter in a layup to reduce the lead to 89-85. Almost every time the Lakers hit a big shot, however, they were followed by a defensive setback.
BACK AN FORTH
Minnesota Bank was talking Westbrook all night.
“Nobody out there has done anything in this league that makes my eyes look like, ‘Oh, they’re talking to me. Let me answer, “said Westbrook.” No, that’s fine. They are good. They won a game. Happy for them. Go to the next one. “
Said Finch: “I like the fact that we have confidence, the fact that we play with a lot of emotion. We also need to be aware that we need to mature a bit and act as if we were already there.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Dwight Howard is back in the starting lineup after missing the last game for family reasons. He had just two points in 16 minutes. … The Lakers went 0 to 10 in the first quarter and 2 to 21 from 3 points in the first half.
Timberwolves: This was their 11th win of the season with 20 plus points, one less than the franchise record set in 2013-14. … Jayden McDaniels, who lost his left ankle in the previous game, missed a minimum of two weeks before the re-evaluation … With McDaniels and Naz Reid (back spasms out), Nathan Knight had four points and eight rebounds in 14 minutes.
OP Next
Lakers: In Toronto Friday night.
Timberwolves: Host Milwaukee on Saturday.
——
Add Comment