Minnesota Timberwolves 121-137 LA Lakers: 5 hits and flops

LeBron James had the 99th triple-double of his career to lead the LA Lakers to a 137-121 rout of the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night. The 17-time All-Star recorded 25 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in the victory that extended the defending champions’ winning streak to three.

It was a complete performance from the LA Lakers roster, as almost every player scored a point. After James sat in the third quarter with 4:35 to go and the score tied 87-87, the LA Lakers surged ahead with a 15-7 run. Talen Horton-Tucker and Kyle Kuzma led the charge that gave the home team a 102-94 lead at the end of the quarter.

Horton-Tucker carried the LA Lakers in the last five minutes of the third and the first two minutes of the fourth. He scored seven points during that stretch, including a three-point play that ballooned the Purple and Gold's lead to 11, one that they never relinquished.

Talen Horton-Tucker (#5) in action against the Utah Jazz.

On that note, let's have a look at the five hits and flops in the game:

Hit: LeBron James (LA Lakers)

LeBron James was getting his teammates involved in the first half. Taking only three shots before half-time, the four-time MVP set the stage for the rest of the LA Lakers players to have an offensive impact.

LeBron James notches a triple-double for the 2nd night in a row to lead the @Lakers!LBJ: 25 PTS, 12 REB, 12 ASTMontrezl Harrell: 25 PTSAnthony Edwards: 29 PTS pic.twitter.com/WQfi21n1gE

— NBA (@NBA) March 17, 2021

In the pivotal third period, James was more aggressive in looking for his shots while constantly looking to find the open man.

The four-time MVP is just one triple-double away from reaching 100, a feat that has previously been accomplished by four other players in NBA history: Oscar Robertson (181), Russell Westbrook (157), Magic Johnson (138) and Jason Kidd (107).

By the fourth quarter, his two-man game with Montrezl Harrell on three consecutive possessions put the game out of reach for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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Flop: (Minnesota Timberwolves)

It’s difficult to call Karl-Anthony Towns a flop in this game after he put up 29 points, six rebounds and seven assists. But almost as soon as he entered the ball game in the fourth quarter, Harrell got to the basket several times. More than his overall play, the series of miscues at the defensive end was what doomed the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Defensively, the Minnesota Timberwolves allowed the LA Lakers to shoot 57.5% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. While that wasn't entirely Towns' fault, the player was culpable for allowing the LA Lakers to get easy shots inside.

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Hit: Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Anthony Edwards

One of the top candidates for the Rookie of the Year award, Anthony Edwards, did not disappoint in this game. He came out firing early and made half of the shots he attempted on his way to a 29-point, 4-rebound outing.

The 6' 4" guard’s athletic ability and knack for getting to the line was on full display. He found seams in the LA Lakers’ defense that resulted in either a bucket or a free-throw attempt for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Regardless of the fact that he was stymied early in the fourth quarter before making a few shots toward the end, this was a very good performance by Edwards that would bolster his case for the top freshman award.

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Flop: Jake Layman (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Jake Layman

You have to pity Jake Layman, as he was given an unfair assignment of guarding a future Hall of Famer. He’s not much of a scorer, so anything else he could have contributed would have been a bonus.

Layman had an excellent sequence where he blocked LeBron James, something very few players can lay claim to.

But that embarrassing play ignited James, who proceeded to swat away Layman's attempt later on. The fired-up LA Lakers forward would not be stopped after that. and all of Layman’s efforts came to naught.

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Hit: Montrezl Harrell (LA Lakers)

Montrezl Harrell

Montrezl Harrell led the LA Lakers in scoring for the second consecutive game. The LA Lakers’ reserve big was unstoppable underneath the basket and was active offensively from the moment he was inserted in the game.

Montrezl Harrell is a fine artist in the paint. pic.twitter.com/lZFk2AaJEp

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 17, 2021

The one-minute sequence between him and James encapsulated the LA Lakers' dominance in this game. When he entered the paint, no Minnesota Timberwolves player was able to keep him away. He was quick on his feet in eluding every defender that came to mark him.

Overall, Montrezl Harrell put up 25 points, four rebounds and six assists on the night.