Halftime Report
After a tough loss on the road their last time out, the Timberwolves look much better today on their home court. Sitting on a score of 63-59, they have looked like the better team, but there’s still two more quarters to play.
The Timberwolves came into the contest with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We’ll see if they’re able to flip the script or if it’ll just be more of the same.
Who’s Playing
Los Angeles Lakers @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Current Records: Los Angeles 15-13, Minnesota 20-6
How To Watch
- When:Â Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 9 p.m. ET
- Where: Target Center — Minneapolis, Minnesota
- TV:Â NBATV
- Follow:Â CBS Sports App
- Online streaming:Â fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $119.48
What to Know
The Lakers and the Timberwolves are an even 5-5 against one another since February of 2021, but not for long. Having just played yesterday, the Los Angeles Lakers will head out on the road to face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves at 9:00 p.m. ET on December 21st at Target Center. Coming off a loss in a game the Lakers were expected to win, they now face the more daunting task of proving themselves against unfavorable odds.
The Lakers’ recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Wednesday after their third straight loss. They lost to Chicago on the road by a decisive 124-108 margin. The Lakers found out winning isn’t easy when your three-point shooting is a whole 20.5% worse than the opposition.
The loss doesn’t tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was LeBron James, who almost dropped a triple-double on 25 points, ten rebounds, and nine assists.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Wednesday. They received a tough blow as they fell 127-113 to Philadelphia.
Like the Lakers, the Timberwolves lost despite seeing results from several players. Anthony Edwards led the charge by scoring 27 points along with seven rebounds and five assists.
Los Angeles has not been sharp recently, as they’ve lost four of their last five matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 15-13 record this season. As for Minnesota, their loss dropped their record down to 20-6.
Thursday’s game is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: The Lakers just can’t miss this season, having made 48.5% of their shots per game. However, it’s not like the Timberwolves struggle in that department as they’ve made 48.6% of their shots per game this season. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Lakers didn’t have too much breathing room in their game against the Timberwolves when the teams last played back in April, but they still walked away with a 108-102 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Lakers since the squad won’t have the home-court advantage this time around. We’ll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Odds
Minnesota is a solid 6-point favorite against Los Angeles, according to the latest NBA odds.
The line has drifted a bit towards the Timberwolves, as the game opened with the Timberwolves as a 4.5-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 225 points.
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Series History
Minnesota and Los Angeles both have 5 wins in their last 10 games.
- Apr 11, 2023 – Los Angeles 108 vs. Minnesota 102
- Mar 31, 2023 – Los Angeles 123 vs. Minnesota 111
- Mar 03, 2023 – Minnesota 110 vs. Los Angeles 102
- Oct 28, 2022 – Minnesota 111 vs. Los Angeles 102
- Mar 16, 2022 – Minnesota 124 vs. Los Angeles 104
- Jan 02, 2022 – Los Angeles 108 vs. Minnesota 103
- Dec 17, 2021 – Minnesota 110 vs. Los Angeles 92
- Nov 12, 2021 – Minnesota 107 vs. Los Angeles 83
- Mar 16, 2021 – Los Angeles 137 vs. Minnesota 121
- Feb 16, 2021 – Los Angeles 112 vs. Minnesota 104
