Timberwolves at Lakers
The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers are fighting for position in the NBA draft lottery, and the Timberwolves are winning that dubious race. The Lakers will try to avoid moving one step closer to a 60-loss season when they host the Timberwolves on Friday.
The Timberwolves have dropped eight straight and sit four games behind Los Angeles with the worst record in the Western Conference. While the results have not been pretty, Minnesota might actually be showing more promise than the Lakers due to the development of rookies Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine and Adreian Payne. All three are getting increased exposure due to season-ending injuries to veterans and have all shown they can be part of the franchise’s turnaround. Los Angeles has fewer high-upside young players on the roster, though Jordan Clarkson is making a bid to join that group.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN North (Minnesota), TWC SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (16-62): Wiggins put up 29 points in a loss at Portland on Wednesday and is averaging 25.5 points over the last four games as he surges toward the Rookie of the Year Award. While Wiggins has been in the starting lineup all season after being acquired over the summer from the Cleveland Cavaliers, LaVine more recently took his spot at the table and is pushing hard to the end of the season. The dunk contest champion scored in double figures in each of the last 11 games, including 18 points in a 101-99 home overtime loss to the Lakers on March 25.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (20-58): Los Angeles suffered its fifth straight loss 119-101 at Denver on Wednesday but Clarkson held his own against another top point guard in the Nuggets’ Ty Lawson. Clarkson finished with 21 points and nine assists in the setback, one game after going for 20 points and six assists against Chris Paul and the Clippers. Clarkson just barely got the better of LaVine in the March 25 meeting, finishing with 20 points and hitting the clinching free throws with 0.3 seconds left in overtime.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Timberwolves pulled out a 120-119 win at the Lakers on Nov. 28 and have won two of their last three in Los Angeles.
2. Lakers G Jeremy Lin (knee) sat out Wednesday and is questionable to return.
3. Minnesota C Gorgui Dieng (concussion) is the most likely of the team’s seven injured players to make a return on Friday.