New FSM Essential Recap: Lakers vs Timberwolves - Game 69

New FSM Essential Recap: Lakers vs Timberwolves- Game 69

Franchise Sports Media

Los Angeles Lakers (29-40) | Minnesota Timberwolves (41-30)

 

The Lakers failed to show up in the final quarter again, falling to the Timberwolves 124-104.

 

To no one’s surprise, the Lakers lost last night, but what’s making them unable to compete with other thriving teams? Injuries in Anthony Davis and Kendrick Nunn, who’s yet to play this year, have been the go-to reasons. What can be controlled is on the floor, and the Lakers have defined themselves as lackluster opponents once again.

Only so much can be controlled by coaching. The Lakers‘ lack of depth continuously makes closing out games impossible.  Karl-Anthony Towns, fresh off a 60-point performance this week, had his team ready to ball with a different level of confidence.  They chose the disrespectful approach.

Towns and Patrick Beverly got the scoring going for their side, combining their skills to drop Minnesota’s first 19 points.  Beverly, who has been a part of the Laker rivalry since his days on the Clippers, swished two threes and a layup early.  While the Timberwolves came out swinging, Los Angeles kept up the pace for most of the quarter.  Carmelo Anthony and Lebron James were efficient to start, with Anthony hitting a tough fadeaway.

The rhythm was only momentary for LA before things began to slip at the end of the first.  Anthony Edwards led a 14-5 run to join the offense, sending his club up 14 into the second.  It told a familiar tale to Laker Nation, falling behind early again.

Edwards would lead another run to start the second at 14-4, hitting two threes and scoring 9 of the 14.  Wayne Ellington cashed in two threes to prevent any more damage at that point, but things quickly got out of hand, with Edwards scoring 24 points by halftime, going 5-7 from behind the arc.

Beverly and Towns remained efficient in the quarter for Minnesota, with Carmelo Anthony trying his best to keep the Lakers in the game.  Anthony had a highlight dunk right before the buzzer, but his team was still down by 21. A turnover by Westbrook in the quarter enticed Beverly to mock him on how he’s been playing, while Lebron James also seemed to be having an off night, only having scored 7 points by the break and starting 3-10.

It was bound to happen for James and left the Lakers lacking confidence once again going into the second half.  The Timberwolves are no Houston Rockets by any means, so getting back in the game was already unlikely.  Although the Lakers did not have the lead, or a real handle on their lackluster playing for the evening, one thing they did have was anger towards Beverly, who continued to torment their performance.

The Lakers found themselves down 21 at halftime, trailing the Timberwolves 67-46.

 

James and Anthony led a 10-0 run to start the second half, and all of a sudden, the lead was cut down drastically.  Austin Reaves was money, putting up a three and a dunk before Westbrook got the lead down to single digits with a three of his own.

The Timberwolves would maintain a lead of 9 throughout the quarter, with Stanley Jonhson and D.J. Augustin hitting threes after they began to pull away.  The Timberwolves had been mouthing off all night, so the intensity had to show for the Lakers in the fourth.

Augustin got it going for the Lake Show to start the final quarter, leading an 8-3 run to have it within 4.  The Wolves cut away to bring it back to 10 quickly, but James responded with a much-needed three, narrowing the lead once again.  Towns then stole the show with an 11-2 run with ten quick points by himself, bringing it back to a one-sided game.

He would finish the night with 30 points, half his total from his previous game.  It was all they needed when it came down to it, with the Lakers losing the intensity they started the quarter with.  By the game’s end, the Timberwolves were back up 20 with trash talk to go along with it.  James exited the arena with cold stares, visibly taking mental note of his team’s poor situation.  Should this be the motivation they need to get to the next level? If so, it would come at the right time, as the season is running out, and just got even shorter with the close of this game.

 

The Lakers head to Toronto to face the Raptors again, and the game can be seen at 4:30 p.m. PST on Spectrum.           

Lakers vs Timberwolves                               Lakers vs Timberwolves                              Lakers vs Timberwolves                 Lakers vs Timberwolves                               Lakers vs Timberwolves                              Lakers vs Timberwolves                 Lakers vs Timberwolves                               Lakers vs Timberwolves                                           

 

Duncan Dye – Franchise Sports Media

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