Rudy Gobert leads Timberwolves past Lakers despite Anthony Davis’ 38

LOS ANGELES
(AP) — Rudy Gobert had 22 points and 14 rebounds, Anthony Edwards
scored 19 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves completed a
two-game Los Angeles sweep with a 110-102 victory over the
short-handed Lakers on Friday night.

Naz Reid
scored 15 for the Wolves, who moved back above .500 and rebounded
from an 0-3 stretch with impressive back-to-back wins over the
Clippers and Lakers, whose fourth-quarter rally fell just short.
Minnesota also blew most of a big late lead three days ago against
the Clippers, but their tenacity is promising to coach Chris
Finch.

“The last
couple of games, it’s been big for us,” Finch said. “We’ve found a
way. It’s a perfect time to find that resiliency.”

Anthony Davis
scored 38 points and Malik Beasley had 15 for the Lakers, who lost
for only the second time in six games. Los Angeles couldn’t keep up
without injured LeBron James and D’Angelo Russell, who wasn’t able
to suit up against the team that traded him Feb. 9 after parts of
four seasons in Minnesota.

The Lakers
trailed by 14 early in the fourth quarter, but made it close with a
16-6 run down the stretch. Minnesota’s lead dwindled to three
points before Davis lost his shoe during a defensive possession,
leading to Mike Conley hitting an open 3-pointer with 1:13 to play.
The Wolves closed it out authoritatively from there.

“There was a
time when it looked like we were playing in mud,” Lakers coach
Darvin Ham said. “(The Wolves) are fighting for their lives as well
and trying to get to the postseason. They had that urgency, and we
didn’t.”

James missed
his third straight game with a right foot injury, and the NBA’s
career scoring leader won’t even be re-evaluated until late this
month, when only a handful of games remain in the Lakers’ season.
His absence threatens to negate the recent push by Los Angeles,
which surged out of the trade deadline with its revamped
roster.

The Lakers’
playoff fate could be determined before James returns: This loss to
eighth-place Minnesota began a vital stretch of Los Angeles’ season
with 10 of 12 games at home. Los Angeles is 5-3 since its flurry of
activity at the deadline.

“I feel like
we’re playing pretty good basketball,” Davis said. “When our team
is whole, we’ve shown what we can do. It’s just tough, knowing how
good we are.”

Eight
Timberwolves scored at least eight points, leading Gobert to praise
their reserves in a balanced offensive attack. Gobert got rolling
himself on both ends of the court when he switched into a defensive
matchup with Davis in the second quarter.

“The last two
games, the bench has been huge, coming into the game with that
energy and the mindset,” Gobert said. “You can tell we’re on a
mission right now.”

Davis still
had a prolific offensive game, but with Gobert hounding him on
defense, he also committed a season high-tying six turnovers,
giving him 11 in his last two games.

Dennis
Schröder had 12 assists and no turnovers while playing on an
injured ankle for the Lakers, who struggled to run an offense when
their German point guard wasn’t on the floor.

TIP-INS

Timberwolves:
Jaylen Nowell missed his third straight game with a left knee
injury. … Conley finished with 14 points.

Lakers:
Russell missed his fourth straight game since spraining his right
ankle last week, but he is scrimmaging in practice, Ham said.
Russell could return Sunday. … Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and
Beasley will return to Target Center with the Lakers on March 31.
… They wore their Minneapolis Lakers throwback uniforms.

UP
NEXT

Timberwolves:
At Sacramento on Saturday.

Lakers: Host
Golden State on Sunday.