The Los Angeles Lakers (9-38) will try to put an end to their seven-game skid when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves (14-32) at the Staples Center. Action begins at 10:30 pm ET on Tuesday, Feb. 2 and can be seen on NBA, TWC and FNo.
The Lakers are expecting a better outcome after their 92-90 loss to the Mavericks in their last matchup. Jordan Clarkson was the team’s leading scorer with 18 points. The Timberwolves, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after their 114-107 loss against the Cavaliers in their last game. Minnesota still lost despite the best efforts of Karl-Anthony Towns, who recorded his 22nd double-double of the season with 26 points and 11 rebounds.
Towns and Andrew Wiggins have upped their production over the last five games for the Timberwolves. Towns has averaged 20.2 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.0 steal, 2.4 blocks, and 0.6 three-pointers during that stretch, while Wiggins has put up 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steal, and 0.6 blocks.
The Timberwolves have emerged victorious in both games against the Lakers this year, escaping with a narrow 123-122 victory the last time these teams met. Kevin Martin was the game’s top overall scorer with 37 points.
The Timberwolves take on the Lakers as a four-point favorite. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is sitting at 202 points. The Lakers come into this game 9-41 Straight Up (SU) and 22-28 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 3-29 SU and 11-21 ATS against the Western Conference.
As for their opponent, the Timberwolves have 14-35 SU and 21-27-1 ATS records. Against the Western Conference, Minnesota is 8-21 SU and 13-15-1 ATS. The Timberwolves get to the line and convert their free throws at a high volume, leading the league with 974 made (21.0 per game).
Minnesota beat Los Angeles in their most recent meeting this season, bumping its SU record over the last 10 meetings to 6-4. The Lakers lead the matchup ATS with a record of 6-4.
Predictions: SU Winner – Min, ATS Winner – Min, O/U – Over
Notes
LA Lakers are 3-6 ATS in their last 9 games.
LA Lakers are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of the LA Lakers last 15 games at home.
LA Lakers are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games at home.
LA Lakers are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games at home.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 7 games when playing Minnesota.
LA Lakers are 19-6 SU in their last 25 games when playing Minnesota.
LA Lakers are 15-3 SU in their last 18 games when playing at home against Minnesota.
LA Lakers are 6-13-1 ATS in their last 20 games when playing at home against Minnesota.
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 6 games when playing at home against Minnesota.
Minnesota ranks 22nd in points per game with 99.4, while Los Angeles ranks 27th in points allowed with an average of 106.2 given up.
Minnesota puts up an average of 100.3 points per away game (ranked 11th). Los Angeles ranks 22nd in points allowed per home game with 102.4.
When allowing fewer than 100 points, the Timberwolves are 10-6 on the season. When the Lakers score fewer than 100, they are an underachieving 4-29.
Both Minnesota and Los Angeles have losing records when they allow and score at least 100 points, respectively. The Timberwolves are 4-26 in the former situation, and the Lakers are 5-9 in the latter.
The Lakers have a defensive rating of 109.0 (ranked 30th), while the Timberwolves rank 23rd for their offensive rating of 102.0.
The Los Angeles Lakers average a field goal percentage of 41.3% this season. The Minnesota Timberwolves have an abysmal record of 7-30 when opponents have a FG% of 41.3% or greater.
The Minnesota Timberwolves rank higher for their field goal percentage (11th) than their effective field goal percentage (25th), while the Los Angeles Lakers rank the same for both metrics (30th).
Los Angeles makes an average of 18.4 assists per game (ranked 29th). Minnesota ranks higher in assists with 21.9 (ranked 14th).
Los Angeles makes an average of 4.6 blocks per game (ranked 18th), while Minnesota makes 4.5 blocks per game (ranked 19th).
The Los Angeles Lakers rank 12th in offensive rebounding, while the Minnesota Timberwolves rank 23rd in defensive rebounding.
On average, Los Angeles makes 7.3 steals per game. Minnesota is a subpar 10-25 when it gives up at least 7 steals.
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