GAME: L.A. Lakers Lakers (34-17) at Minnesota Timberwolves (10-40)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, February 13 - 8:00 PM EST
SPREAD: Minnesota 9.5 TOTAL: 203
Source: Covers.com
Thanks in part to Pau Gasol, the Los Angeles Lakers' current road trip couldn't be going much better.
The Lakers and their new center will wrap up a nine-game trip on Wednesday when they visit the stumbling Minnesota Timberwolves.
Los Angeles (34-17) beat Charlotte 106-97 on Monday, going 6-2 against Eastern Conference teams on its trek. The win was the Lakers' third straight, and fourth in five games with Gasol in the lineup.
The Lakers have not played at home since a 120-109 win over New York on Jan. 29, and are 17-10 on the road.
"We have one more game before we can say anything about this trip," coach Phil Jackson said. "Fortunately, we have gotten a few under our belt, and now we are down to one game and we want to get that one to go home on."
Gasol, acquired Feb. 1 in a trade with Memphis , has averaged 20.8 points and 8.2 rebounds in his five games with the Lakers. He had 26 points against the Bobcats, his second-best scoring effort with his new team behind a 30-point performance in a 117-113 win at Orlando on Friday.
Despite dealing with a cold, Gasol also bounced back after managing just 12 in Sunday's 104-94 victory in Miami .
"Yesterday, he didn't have a good game," Jackson said. "Today was the mark of a good player to come back and double your effort and have a good game. He's not feeling the greatest now either, so that's a good game for him."
Kobe Bryant, who ranks second in the NBA with 28.0 points per game, chipped in 31 for his third straight 30-point effort.
" Pau is not the only player on the team that is playing well," Bryant said. "I think the young guys on our team have really developed and improved. ... So by adding Pau to the mix, we have something that has to be dealt with."
The Lakers have won three straight and six of seven against the Timberwolves, including both meetings this season.
Minnesota (10-40) owns the worst record in the Western Conference and has dropped four straight, including Tuesday's 92-88 defeat in New Jersey . Sebastian Telfair scored 24 points and Al Jefferson added 16 and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who shot just 37 percent.
Minnesota has failed to reach 90 points in each of its last four games and seven of nine. The Timberwolves rank last in the West with 93.3 points per game.
"It was one of those games where we didn't hit shots," said coach Randy Wittman. "We turned some shots down which made it a little more difficult."
The Timberwolves, who are a woeful 2-23 on the road, have dropped their last three at home after a four-game winning streak on their own court.
Backup guard Rashad McCants missed Tuesday's defeat after spraining his right ankle against in Sunday's 105-82 loss to Toronto .
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