The Lakers will meet a familiar foe in Tuesday’s play-in game, both in terms of on-court and off-court involvement, in the Minnesota Timberwolves. On the court, the Lakers and Wolves met three times this season and twice in the final month. Off the court, the two sides were part of the season-changing trade for the Lakers.
Each of D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley are former Wolves, but the latter two were dealt last summer as part of the Rudy Gobert trade. Russell was traded directly from Minnesota to the Lakers at the deadline.