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 Forward Ryan Kelly scored 21 points and rookie guard Jabari Brown
added 20, leading the Lakers to a 106-98 victory over the
Timberwolves in a matchup of two of the NBA's worst clubs on Friday
night at Staples Center.
For Kelly, who also had seven assists, one shy of his career best,
it was only his second outing of 20 points or more this season.
Kelly, a second-year player out of Duke, hit seven of 12 shots from
the floor, including five of six from behind the 3-point arc.
"It all started with me going to the rim and throwing it down,"
Kelly said of his dunk, which were the first points scored in the
game. "From there, the guys found me."
Rookie center Tarik Black scored a career-high 18 points on 8-of-9
shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds. First-year point guard Jordan
Clarkson also scored 18, dished out nine assists and made four
steals for Los Angeles (21-58), which ended a five-game losing
streak. All five Los Angeles starters reached double figures in
scoring.
"We were just moving the ball and getting into the paint," said
Clarkson, who helped the Lakers record a season-high 35 assists on
41 baskets. "We were playing (well) with each other today, moving
the ball and getting open shots. It felt good."
Forward Andrew Wiggins scored 29 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and
handed out six assists to pace the Timberwolves (16-63), who dropped
their ninth in a row. Guard Zach LaVine, who played college ball at
nearby UCLA, scored 18 points.
"We have a tendency to come out, at the beginning of the game or at
the beginning of the second half, playing softer," said Wiggins, who
scored 17 of his points in the second half, regarding Minnesota's
run down the stretch, when it closed a double-digit deficit to six
points before fading.
"We just got up into them and played aggressively, and put hands on
them. We played competitively and competed."
Six rookies started. Wiggins, LaVine and forward Adreian Payne, who
finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, were in the starting
lineup for Minnesota, while Brown, Black and Clarkson got the nod
for Los Angeles.
The Lakers got the upper hand.
"We had a bad start, which we have had here recently," Minnesota
coach Flip Saunders said.
The Lakers, who led by as much as 14 points in the first half, held
a 30-21 advantage after one quarter and took a 52-47 lead at the
break. They outshot Minnesota 55.3 percent to 43.2 percent from the
floor and made four of 10 from 3-point range to only one of five for
the Timberwolves in the first half. Overall, the Lakers converted
49.4 percent of their shots to 43.2 percent for the Timberwolves.
They also hit nine of 23 3-pointers to only 3 of 15 for Minnesota.
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Los Angeles opened the third on a 20-7 run after a dunk by Clarkson
for a 72-54 cushion with 6:30 remaining. However, Minnesota rallied,
slicing the deficit to 80-71 heading into the final period.
The Lakers, though, got the lead back to double figures with an 8-2
surge to kick off the fourth quarter for an 88-73 advantage after
Clarkson connected with Brown on a behind-the-back pass and a layup
with 9:46 left. Minnesota cut the gap to eight on two foul shots by
Wiggins, but buckets by forward Wesley Johnson and Black increased
the margin to 99-87 with 3:34 remaining.
A putback dunk by Payne pulled Minnesota within 99-93 with 1:34
left, but Black countered with a slam to put the lead back to eight
12 seconds later. The Timberwolves got no closer than six from that
point on.
Ball movement was huge, Lakers coach Byron Scott said.
"I like what I saw," Scott said. "We've been trying to preach that
all season long. When you don't have a dominant player, you have to
move the ball."
NOTES: Lakers coach Byron Scott believes the NBA should consider
revamping its lottery system. Scott, though, didn't offer any
alternatives. ... Lakers G Jeremy Lin missed his second straight
game with a sore left knee. ... Timberwolves F Kevin Garnett sat out
with an unknown illness. ... The Timberwolves visit the Golden State
Warriors on Saturday before closing their season at home against the
New Orleans Pelicans on Monday and the Oklahoma City Thunder on
Wednesday. ... The Lakers host the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday before
capping the season at Sacramento on Monday and then at home against
the Kings on Wednesday.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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