LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma Lead Lakers to Dominant Fetch over Timberwolves
Kyusung Gong/Connected Press
The Sunday evening matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves had already lost some of its luster when it modified into once announced sooner than the game that Anthony Davis (true calf contusion) and Karl-Anthony Cities (left wrist dislocation) were both out.
Then the Lakers promptly removed any other intrigue from the contest, racing out to a fast open and blowing out the Timberwolves 127-91 within the wait on of a huge evening from Davis’ change firstly lineup, Kyle Kuzma.
The Lakers also performed unimaginable crew basketball, ending with 32 assists on 50 buckets.
The larger misfortune in Minnesota will, without a doubt, be the station of Cities going ahead, with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reporting earlier Sunday that he might maybe maybe maybe not require surgical operation but is anticipated to miss quite so much of video games. The aesthetic data is that this damage is reportedly not within the the same condo as the wrist damage that ended Cities’ 2019-20 season.
His absence gave some of Minny’s younger players the chance to level what they were fabricated from in opposition to the Davis-less Lakers on Sunday evening. The discontinuance result wasn’t gorgeous.
Key Stats
Kyle Kuzma, LAL: 20 points, 4-of-6 from three
LeBron James, LAL: 18 points, nine rebounds, 5 assists
Marc Gasol, LAL: 12 points, eight assists, seven rebounds
D’Angelo Russell, MIN: Four points, three assists, seven turnovers
Anthony Edwards, MIN: 15 points, four rebounds, 6-of-21 from the self-discipline, 1-of-9 from three
Naz Reid, MIN: 11 points, 5 rebounds, four assists
Kyle Kuzma modified into once En Fuego
Kuzma made doubtlessly the most of his starting up opportunity, raining fireplace down upon the T-Wolves from beyond the arc.
And for aesthetic measure, he also dished out some immoral dimes within the maintain:
Kuzma will doubtlessly frigid off from three-level vary as he’s currently 8-of-13 on the season. That is a stellar 61.5 p.c. Nonetheless his proper launch to the season is a reminder of how upsetting he would be if he might maybe maybe maybe consistently damage groups from deep and stretch the ground.
Kuzma, a profession 33.2 p.c shooter from three, would be a serious misfortune if he might maybe maybe maybe gather that quantity up to 38 p.c. The stretch 4 stays a precious archetype for groups, and the Lakers might maybe maybe maybe maybe correct be blessed to maintain one coming off the bench.
Anthony Edwards Returned to Earth
The No. 1 overall take had been incredible to open the season, averaging 16.5 points in his first two video games while shooting 54.2 p.c from the self-discipline and 37.5 p.c from three.
Nonetheless he cooled off in a huge arrangement Sunday, struggling mightily from the self-discipline. To Edwards’ credit, he did not stop gunning within the course of a evening on which the Timberwolves were desperate for somebody, someone to present some scoring. When a complete crew finishes 36.9 p.c from the self-discipline and 17.1 p.c from three, successfully, you are mindful of it modified into once tough.
Edwards modified into once within the spoil going to maintain a stinker. Such is life within the NBA for a rookie, especially in opposition to the defending champs on the second half of of a wait on-to-wait on. No lower than it came on a evening when it did not truly damage the Timberwolves since no person else on the crew appeared succesful of shooting a basketball into an Olympic-sized pool, let by myself throughout the hoop.
What’s Next?
The Lakers host the Portland Path Blazers on Monday evening at 10 p.m. ET (NBATV). The Timberwolves conclude in Los Angeles, facing the Clippers on Tuesday evening at 10 p.m. ET.