Every game feels like a must-win at this point in the season and the Minnesota Timberwolves better come out of Los Angeles with a win over shorthanded Lakers on Friday night.
Los Angeles will be without LeBron James (foot) and D’Angelo Russell (ankle), leaving the load of the work up to Anthony Davis, Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroder and Austin Reaves. Minnesota enters the game in good health with the exception of Karl-Anthony Towns, who will miss his 44th straight game as he works his way back from a serious calf injury.
“LeBron James has been evaluated by Lakers team physicians and medical staff, and it has been determined that he has sustained a right foot tendon injury. James will be reevaluated in approximately three weeks,” the Lakers announced Thursday.
Russell will miss a fourth straight game because of a sprained ankle. He was hoping to practice Friday and didn’t dismiss the chance to be back on the court Sunday against the Warriors.
Regardless, the Lakers being down two starters means there is no excuse for Minnesota to leave L.A. with two wins. They beat the full strength Clippers 108-101 on Tuesday.
Entering Friday’s slate of games, Minnesota (32-32) is a half-game behind the Clippers (33-32) for seventh place, one game behind sixth place Dallas (33-31), 1.5 games behind fifth place Golden State (33-30) and 2.5 games behind fourth place Phoenix (34-29).
They’re also just a half-game ahead of the ninth and tenth place teams, Utah (31-32) and New Orleans (31-32) – and 1.5 games in front of the Lakers (30-33).
