Lakers vs. Timberwolves live score, updates, highlights from 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament game

By | April 11, 2023
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The Play-In Tournament is here!

The No. 7 seed Los Angeles Lakers and No. 8 seed Minnesota Timberwolves square off in the Western Conference’s first Play-In game.

A victory will secure a spot in the NBA playoffs, while the loser will book a date with the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchup. 

The Lakers enter tonight’s contest riding a wave of momentum, going 8-2 across their final 10 regular season games, while the Timberwolves will be shorthanded after Rudy Gobert was suspended one game for punching teammate Kyle Anderson, while Jaden McDaniels is also sidelined with a broken right hand. 

Can the shorthanded Wolves take the fight to the Lakers on the road?

The Sporting News is tracking live scoring updates from Lakers vs. Timberwolves on Tuesday. Follow along with all of the action right here.

MORE: Biggest keys to Lakers vs. Timberwolves in Play-In Tournament

Lakers vs. Timberwolves score

Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT Final
Lakers 22 27 30 19   —
Timberwolves 28 32 27 12   —

Lakers vs. Timberwolves live score, updates, highlights

Overtime:

12:55 a.m. — The Lakers escape as LeBron turns it over but Prince misses the triple at the other end. The Lakers have no timeouts and one foul to give. Minnesota has one timeout remaining. 

12:52 a.m — Anthony Edwards lays it in to cut the lead to 105-102. 

12:49 a.m. — AD making it count in OT.

12:47 a.m. — The Lakers start the extra period on a 5-0 run thanks to buckets from Hachimura and Schroder. Can the Wolves respond?

Fourth quarter: Timberwolves 98, Lakers 98

12:40 a.m. — Anthony Davis sends Mike Conley Jr. to the line, fouling him on a corner 3-point attempt. The Lakers have run out of challenges. He drains all three to tie the game at 98-98. we’re heading to OT!

12:39 a.m. — DENNIS SCHRODER!!! He connects from the corner to put the Lakers in front 98-95.

12:35 a.m. — A costly possession for the Wolves as Kyle Anderson loses the ball in the backcourt. Lakers ball with 21.7 seconds to go!

12:34 a.m. — LeBron gets called for his fifth foul after diving for a loose ball. The “ref you suck” chants are roaring around Crypto.

12:31 a.m. — Conley misses the triple as the Wolves’ scoring drought is now at five minutes. 

12:27 a.m. — TIE GAME!!!!! LeBron James hits the big-time triple to square things up at 95-95 with two minutes remaining. Big finish coming up!

12:19 a.m. — Mike Conley Jr AGAIN! He buries another triple to make it 6-of-7 on the night. Wolves lead 95-88.

12:16 a.m. — The Lakers have moved into another gear defensively as they reel off a 7-0 run since KAT picked up his fifth foul.

12:14 a.m. — Towns checks back into the game and almost immediately picks up his fifth foul. He’s back to the bench.

12:08 a.m. — Anthony Edwards checks back into the game for Minny. Towns remains on the bench. Timberwolves lead 89-86.

12:04 a.m. — Conley picking up right where he left off!

12:02 a.m. — Towns starts the final frame on the bench with foul trouble after picking up his fourth.

End of third quarter: Timberwolves 86 Lakers 79

The Lakers cut the deficit to seven points heading into the final frame, as LeBron James closes the quarter strong. he’s up to 27 points on and efficient 11-of-16 shooting. 

11:57 p.m. — Momentum is swinging the Lakers way with some big defensive stops coming out of the timeout and the extra effort on the offensive glass. Timberwolves lead 86-77.

11:53 p.m. — Nickeil Alexander-Walker PUNCHES it home!

11:51 p.m. — The Timberwolves’ ball movement has been crisp tonight, registering 22 assists on 27 made field goals.

11:44 p.m. — And just like that the Timberwolves have blown the lead out to 15 — their largest of the game — thanks to back-to-back triples from Prince and Anderson. The Wolves are 12-of-23 from deep. 

11:41 p.m. — LeBron is doing his best to breathe life into the Lakers with a block on one end and a bucket on the other. They cut the lead to seven points with seven minutes remaining in the period. 

11:39 p.m. — Another offensive foul for Towns. That’s three for the game. 

1:35 p.m. — Anthony Davis is spared his third foul after the officials review the play. Jump ball at midcourt.

Halftime: Timberwolves 60, Lakers 59

The Timberwolves go into the half with an 11-point lead, their largest of the game so far, after closing the second on a 14-2 run. 

KAT is having himself a game with 17 points on 5-of-5 shooting, while Conley has 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting.

LeBron James leads the Lakers with 16 points, while Davis is closing in on a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds. 

11:13 p.m. — The Lakers continue to make the Wolves pay inside, outscoring them 32-16 in the paint. 

11:09 p.m. — The Lakers defense has come to life in the second as they reel off a 14-2 run to re-take the lead 45-44.

11:00 p.m. — LeBron James making it happen on the defensive end for LA, taking the tough charge on Towns. He heads to the bench for a breather. 

10:54 p.m. —  KAT is putting on a show in LA, getting into his playmaking bag. 

10:48 p.m. — Here comes LeBron! He follows up and and-1 play with a mid-range jumper to cut into the Wolves lead. 

End of first quarter: Timberwolves 28, Lakers 22

The Timberwolves take a six-point lead at the end of Q1, thanks to a blistering start from the 3-point line, draining 5-of-9 from deep. 

Karl-Anthony Towns has a game-high nine points, while Taurean Prince has eight.

Hachimura leads the Lakers with seven points off the bench. 

10:40 p.m. — Anthony Edwards doing his best Rudy Gobert impersonation with the HUGE rejection at the buzzer!

10:39 p.m. — Rui Hachimura is giving the Lakers some valuable minutes off the bench in the first quarter, scoring their last seven points to give them a 19-18 lead.

10:28 p.m. — KAT is taking to Anthony Davis in the paint early. Without Rudy Gobert in the lineup, he needs to continue to pressure the Lakers inside. Timberwolves lead 18-12.

10:26 p.m. — The Lakers shotchart hasn’t been pretty to start this one. 

10:21 p.m. — A fast start from the Timberwolves from the 3-point line, draining three of their first four attempts to take the lead, 14-10.

10:20 p.m. — Lakers turning defense into offense!

10:18 p.m. — And we’re underway in Los Angels as Anthony Davis buries the jumper to get things going. 

Pregame

9:42 p.m. — The Timberwolves will start with Mike Conley Jr, Anthony Edwards, Taurean Prince, Kyle Anderson, and Karl-Anthony Towns. 

9:40 p.m. — The Lakers will start with D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis.

9:29 p.m. — The Wolves are ready to rock. 

What channel is Lakers vs. Timberwolves on?

  • Date: Tuesday, April 11
  • TV channel: TNT
  • Live streaming: Sling TV

Lakers vs. Timberwolves will air on TNT. Viewers can also stream the game on Sling TV.

Fans in the U.S. can watch the NBA’s biggest playoff games on Sling TV, which is now offering HALF OFF your first month! Stream Sling Orange for $20 in your first month to catch all the games on TNT, ESPN & ABC. For games on NBA TV, subscribe to Sling Orange & Sports Extra for $27.50 in your first month. Local regional blackout restrictions apply.

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Lakers vs. Timberwolves start time

  • Date: Tuesday, April 11
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET | 7 p.m. PT

Lakers vs. Timberwolves will tip off around 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 11. The game will be played at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

NBA Play-In Tournament schedule

April 11

Game Time (ET) TV channel
Hawks vs. Heat 7:30 p.m. TNT
Timberwolves vs. Lakers 10 p.m. TNT

April 12

Game Time (ET) TV channel
Bulls vs. Raptors 7 p.m. ESPN
Thunder vs. Pelicans 9:30 p.m. ESPN

April 14

Game Time (ET) TV channel
TBD vs. TBD 7 or 7:30 p.m. TNT
TBD vs. TBD 9:30 or 10 p.m. ESPN

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