With six games left in the 2022-23 regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers were nearing, at the very least, a spot in the play-in tournament. But there was still lots of work to be done, as they still hadn’t gotten over .500.
On March 31, they played the second game of a five-game road trip at the Minnesota Timberwolves, a team that was in the same situation as the Lakers. Minnesota came into the contest half a game ahead of L.A., making it a pivotal one for both teams.
