Trying Times
Los Angeles,Ca – With their coach fired, a Hall of Famer stepping down from the front office to take over and three losses in four nights, the Minnesota Timberwolves have endured a challenging week.
It doesn’t appear it will get any easier on Sunday night when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Lakers –15.5 point spread favorites for Friday’s game against the Raptors. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 63% of more than 287 bets for this game have been placed on the Lakers –15.5.
The Timberwolves (4-18) dropped eight in a row for the second time this season following their 98-86 loss to San Antonio on Friday night. Minnesota committed a season-low nine turnovers but hit just 40.9 percent of its shots and missed six of 18 free throws.
"You can’t get much better than layups and we were missing them," said Kevin McHale, who is 0-3 as coach since leaving as the team’s vice president of basketball operations and taking over for the fired Randy Wittman. "Some of those will go in, but the hanging the head is what we can’t have and that’s what happened. I think we started feeling sorry for ourselves … and that’s unacceptable."
Minnesota is shooting just 41.8 percent during its losing streak. The Lakers (19-3) are holding opponents to 43.8 percent shooting.
Although a defeat on Sunday would give the franchise its longest losing streak since a 12-game skid that bridged the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, Al Jefferson continues to put up big numbers.
He posted his 11th double-double of the season with 29 points and 13 rebounds against the Spurs. Jefferson, who is averaging 21.0 points and 10.3 rebounds during the losing streak, averaged 18.3 points and 12.0 boards as the Lakers swept three games against the Timberwolves last season.
Mike Miller returned to the Wolves’ starting lineup on Friday after being sidelined four games with a sprained right ankle, scoring three points and grabbing six rebounds. In his last four games against the Lakers at Staples Center, Miller is averaging 18.0 points and 10.8 rebounds.
Kobe Bryant can vividly remember the first of those four visits. Bryant was suspended two games for elbowing Miller in the throat during the Lakers’ 100-99 overtime loss to Memphis on Dec. 28, 2005.
This season, though, there hasn’t been much frustration for Bryant and the Lakers, as they’re off to their best start since also opening 19-3 in 2001-02 – the last time they won the NBA title.
Los Angeles has won two straight and 12 of 14 after beating Sacramento 112-103 on Friday. The Lakers lost to the Kings 113-101 on Tuesday night.
"We did better playing against them tonight," Bryant said following his 32-point performance. "In Sacramento we weren’t able to contain them in any stretch."
The Timberwolves haven’t been able to contain Bryant in their last two visits to Los Angeles. He’s averaging 40.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.5 steals in those two wins.
Pau Gasol posted his fourth double-double in the last six games with 18 points and 11 rebounds on Friday. In his last nine games versus Minnesota, Gasol is averaging 20.2 points and 8.8 rebounds.
The Lakers have won four straight and 11 of the past 14 meetings with the Timberwolves in Los Angeles.
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Posted: 12/14/08 1:10AM ET