Who’s Playing

Minnesota @ Los Angeles

Current Records: Minnesota 16-19; Los Angeles 18-19

What to Know

The Los Angeles Lakers have the luxury of staying home another game and will welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves at 9:30 p.m. ET Jan. 2 at Crypto.com Arena. Los Angeles will be strutting in after a victory while Minnesota will be stumbling in from a loss.

The Lakers couldn’t have asked for better way to wrap up 2021 than the 139-106 stomp they got at home against the Portland Trail Blazers this past Friday. The game was all but wrapped up at the end of the third, by which point Los Angeles had established a 101-77 advantage. Small forward LeBron James had a dynamite game for Los Angeles; he shot 5-for-10 from downtown and finished with a double-double on 43 points and 14 boards. The matchup made it LBJ’s seventh in a row with at least 31 points. James’ points were the most he has had all year.

Meanwhile, Minnesota’s 2021 ended with a 120-108 defeat against the Utah Jazz this past Friday. Shooting guard Anthony Edwards (26 points) was the top scorer for the Timberwolves.

The Lakers are the favorite in this one, with an expected 7.5-point margin of victory. They are currently three-for-three against the spread in their most recent games, a trend bettors might want to take into account.

Los Angeles’ win brought them up to 18-19 while Minnesota’s defeat pulled them down to 16-19. Two numbers to keep in mind before tip-off: Los Angeles is stumbling into the contest with the fifth most fouls per game in the league, having accrued 20.4 on average. Minnesotas have had an even harder time: they are worst in the league in fouls per game, with 22.5 on average. It’s possible one of these Achilles’ heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.

How To Watch

• When: Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Crypto.com Arena — Los Angeles, California
• TV: Bally Sports – North
• Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
• Follow: CBS Sports App
• Ticket Cost: $54.00

Odds

The Lakers are a big 7.5-point favorite against the Timberwolves, according to the latest NBA odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 7.5-point spread, and stayed right there.

Over/Under: -111

See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.

Series History

Minnesota have won 13 out of their last 21 games against Los Angeles.

• 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
• Dec 27, 2020 – Los Angeles 127 vs. Minnesota 91
• Dec 08, 2019 – Los Angeles 142 vs. Minnesota 125
• Jan 24, 2019 – Minnesota 120 vs. Los Angeles 105
• Jan 06, 2019 – Minnesota 108 vs. Los Angeles 86
• Nov 07, 2018 – Los Angeles 114 vs. Minnesota 110
• Oct 29, 2018 – Minnesota 124 vs. Los Angeles 120
• Apr 06, 2018 – Minnesota 113 vs. Los Angeles 96
• Feb 15, 2018 – Minnesota 119 vs. Los Angeles 111
• Jan 01, 2018 – Minnesota 114 vs. Los Angeles 96
• Dec 25, 2017 – Minnesota 121 vs. Los Angeles 104
• Apr 09, 2017 – Los Angeles 110 vs. Minnesota 109
• Mar 30, 2017 – Minnesota 119 vs. Los Angeles 104
• Mar 24, 2017 – Los Angeles 130 vs. Minnesota 119
• Nov 13, 2016 – Minnesota 125 vs. Los Angeles 99
• Feb 02, 2016 – Los Angeles 119 vs. Minnesota 115
• Dec 09, 2015 – Minnesota 123 vs. Los Angeles 122
• Oct 28, 2015 – Minnesota 112 vs. Los Angeles 111

Injury Report for Los Angeles

• LeBron James: Game-Time Decision (Abdomen)
• Rajon Rondo: Out (Covid-19)
• Kendrick Nunn: Out (Knee)
• Anthony Davis: Out (Knee)

Injury Report for Minnesota

• Karl-Anthony Towns: Out (Covid-19)
• D’Angelo Russell: Out (Covid-19)
• McKinley Wright IV: Out (Covid-19)