On Thursday, Anthony Edwards scored 27 points, leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 118-111 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James, sitting out the second night of back-to-back games, contributed to the Lakers’ fourth consecutive loss.
Playing for the second consecutive night, the Timberwolves, with a record of 21-6, tied with Boston for the NBA’s best record. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 21 points for Minnesota but left the game with a lower-leg injury, and there was no immediate update on his condition. The Wolves woke up in the fourth quarter after a sluggish third.
Despite playing without Towns, the Wolves secured the win with Mike Conley’s 16 points, eight assists, and two of the team’s 13 steals, along with Rudy Gobert’s 15 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks. This victory prevented the Wolves from experiencing consecutive losses for the first time this season, and they maintained an impressive 12-1 home record.
For the Lakers, Anthony Davis contributed 31 points and eight rebounds, while Rui Hachimura, starting in place of the resting LeBron James, scored 18 points. The Lakers, now 15-14 overall and 5-11 on the road, have struggled with a 1-5 record since winning the NBA In-Season Tournament on December 9. Whether the recent slump is related to their involvement in the sideshow in Las Vegas on that date remains uncertain.