Matchup: Los Angeles Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves
Event Date: Monday, December 2, 2024
Venue: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Broadcasting On: FanDuel Sports Network
On Monday, the Minnesota Timberwolves (8-10) will host the Los Angeles Lakers (11-7) at the Target Center, aiming to secure a victory.
In their most recent outing, the Lakers triumphed over the Spurs with a decisive score of 119-101. Los Angeles committed 15 personal fouls compared to San Antonio’s 13. From beyond the arc, the Lakers successfully made 14 of their 40 attempts. The Spurs shot a remarkable 93.8% from the free throw line, converting 15 of 16. Furthermore, San Antonio secured 38 rebounds (11 offensive and 27 defensive) and recorded 3 blocks, while distributing 26 assists and making 7 steals. Defensively, the Lakers allowed their opponents to shoot 42.4% on 36 of 85 attempts. They notched 31 assists, created 15 turnovers for the opposition, and grabbed 8 steals, while securing 46 total rebounds, including 11 offensive ones. At the free throw line, Los Angeles converted all 10 of their attempts (100% success). They finished the game with an impressive 53.3% field goal percentage, sinking 48 of 90 shots and hitting 13 of 34 three-pointers.
A standout player from the Lakers’ last win was Dalton Knecht, who displayed his prowess by shooting 53.3% from the field. In 31 minutes, he pulled down 8 rebounds and contributed 20 points on 8 of 15 shooting, along with 1 assist.
Los Angeles heads into this matchup with a season record of 11-7. They average 12.7 turnovers per game and commit 16.0 personal fouls per game. This season, the Lakers have averaged 40.1 rebounds per game and recorded a total of 487 assists, placing them 15th in the NBA for team assists. Their long-range shooting stands at 36.8% (223 of 606) and they shoot 78.4% from the free-throw line. The team scores an average of 115.6 points per game, ranking 10th in the league, while shooting 48.2% overall from the field.
On the defensive side, the Lakers create 14.2 turnovers per game while conceding 21.3 fouls. They currently rank 26th in the league for assists allowed, having given up 518 this season. The Lakers’ opponents have shot 48.4% against them (784 of 1,620), while they permit an average of 43.4 rebounds per game. Opponents are hitting 36.7% of their shots from beyond the arc against the Lakers, who rank 24th in the league for points per game allowed with an average of 116.6.
In their previous game, the Timberwolves faced a loss against the Kings, finishing 115-104. Minnesota managed to secure 29 defensive boards and 4 offensive boards, totaling 33 for the game. They turned the ball over 15 times but also recorded 11 steals during the matchup. Sacramento recorded 21 fouls, allowing the Timberwolves to shoot 27 free throws, of which they converted 24 for an impressive 88.9% success rate. From three-point range, Minnesota made 14 of 39 attempts (35.9%) and overall shot 44.6%, converting 33 of 74 field goal attempts. The Kings shot 48.9% from the field, making 46 of 94 attempts, while Minnesota permitted 47 rebounds, including 12 on the offensive glass.
Anthony Edwards was a key player for Minnesota, scoring 29 points over his 37 minutes on the court, alongside 5 assists. He shot 9 of 24, giving him a shooting percentage of 37.5%, and added 5 rebounds to his tally.
So far this season, the Timberwolves have a record of 8-10. They commit an average of 19.4 fouls per game and maintain an 80.1% free throw percentage. The Timberwolves dish out 24.2 assists per game (25th in the league) and average 15.8 turnovers. With a total of 2,019 points scored this season, they average 112.2 points per game and grab 41.3 rebounds on average. Offensively, they shoot 46.5% from the field, ranking them 14th in the NBA.
Defensively, Minnesota concedes 35.2% on three-point attempts (216 of 613) and 79.7% from the free-throw line. They allow 24.6 assists and 42.3 rebounds per game, ranking 7th and 6th in these categories, respectively. The Timberwolves have the 10th-best defensive record in the league in terms of points allowed, with opponents scoring an average of 111.3 points per game against them. They force opponents into an average of 14.9 turnovers while allowing a field goal percentage of 47.2% (19th in the NBA).
Free Pick: Bet on Minnesota (-7.5)
