Tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET the Los Angeles Lakers (16-31) will travel to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves (23-24) with a reloaded backcourt. Live stream the game by clicking this link; Lakers fans can find the radio broadcast on 710 ESPN, while Wolves fans can hear the action on 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
Kobe Bryant isn't back, but point guards Steve Nash, Steve Blake and Jordan Farmar will all be available to Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni tonight, who has been relying on surprisingly effective second-year point guard Kendall Marshall. "They looked good. I think they came through it OK," D'Antoni said. "... They're all hoping to play."
The return of these players doesn't mean all is rosy in Lakerland. Bryant remains out, as does center Pau Gasol, who was averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds a game, both team-highs. "It's tough, I was looking forward to getting out there with Pau again," Blake said. "Losing our go-to guy right now, the rest of us have to make up for what he does."
Los Angeles needs any talent infusion it can get to snap a losing streak that stands at six. "I think we're all together," D'Antoni said. "We're all frustrated. Nobody's happy, but you gotta battle."
Minnesota has lost its last two games as well, and is struggling without their own center Nikola Pekovic. "To not have Peck in a game like this, really the last (three) games, it's really tough, just because he takes up so much space," Wolves star Kevin Love said. "You're having to make up for 20 points and 10 rebounds."
Love scored 43 points and snared 19 rebounds his last time out, apparently in an effort to replace Pekovic's output all by himself, but those impressive numbers haven't meant victories for Minny--they are 0-3 when Love scores more than 40 points.
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