LeBron James doesn’t have to lead the Los Angeles Lakers in scoring for them to win. This season, he’s been the team’s leading scorer only four times. (By comparison, Anthony Davis has led the Lakers in scoring 11 times.)
However, when he scores only 10 points, it’s difficult to believe that the Lakers will win. James registered his lowest total of the season in the Lakers’ 109-80 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.
This was only the 17th time in his career that he’s scored 10 or fewer points. By reaching 10 on Monday, James has now reached double figures in 1,243 consecutive games, an NBA record. That streak was surely on his mind when he only had eight points in the fourth quarter. James finally got to 10 by hitting two free throws with 8:51 remaining in the game.
James’ previous low this season was 11 points Oct. 28 versus the Phoenix Suns. He scored 12 in Friday’s 101-93 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which could raise the question as to how James is feeling. Cameras showed him flexing his right hand while on the bench late in Monday’s game, after Lakers coach JJ Redick cleared the bench in a blowout.
D’Angelo Russell ended up leading the Lakers with 20 points (shooting 4-of-5 on 3s) with five assists. Davis added 12 points with 11 rebounds and five assists, while Rui Hachimura matched James with 10 points. Dalton Knecht scored six, shooting 3-for-8 from the floor (and 0-for-5 from 3).
The 80 points is also the lowest team total for the Lakers in their 21 games this season. The team was playing the second part of back-to-back games, following a 105-104 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday.
Minnesota had two nights off coming into Monday’s game, yet was perhaps affected by the Lakers’ low energy. Throughout the game, it appeared that the Timberwolves could blow the Lakers off the floor yet didn’t really assert themselves until a Rudy Gobert breakaway dunk gave them an 86-66 lead with 10 minutes left in the fourth.
Julius Randle led Minnesota with 18 points, followed by Gobert’s 17 and 12 rebounds. The difference in the game was the Timberwolves getting 54 points from their bench, led by Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker each scoring 15 points. Minnesota also shot 43% (15-for-35) from 3, compared to the Lakers shooting 19%. Mike Conley and Donte DiVincenzo each shot 3-for-6 from long range.
The Lakers get one day off before continuing their road trip at the Miami Heat on Wednesday. The Timberwolves begin a three-game trip versus the Los Angeles Clippers, also on Wednesday.