The Lakers will continue their road trip on Monday when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves for the second straight night. This is the second game between the teams after they faced off on opening night.

Start time and TV program

WHO: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

When: 5:00 p.m. PT, December 2nd

Where: Target center

Regard: NBA TV, Spectrum SportsNet

Since their last game on opening night, both the Lakers and Wolves have had inconsistent starts to the season. In fact, things have been even worse for Minnesota, the same team that made it to the Western Conference last season, which is currently 9-10 overall and in 11th place. This Wolves team has also lost seven of its last ten games.

Suffice to say, the Wolves, like the Lakers, are eager to get back on track to avoid piling up losses. And it’s also safe to say they’ll take advantage of the fact that they’re at home and that the Lakers are playing for the second straight game on Monday.

The purple and gold can expect a Wolves team that shoots a lot of three-pointers (40.6 per game) and actually makes them (40.6%). While they are still figuring out their identity following the Karl-Anthony Town trade, Minnesota is counting on Anthony Edwards, who is averaging a career-high 27.7 points on 45.3% field shooting and 42.8% 3-point shooting .7 achieved.

The Wolves, like the Lakers, are a terrible rebounding team but are very good defensively and rank in the top nine in the league. They’re still very annoying at the rim because of Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, so the Lakers guards will have to be extra aggressive – whoever passes under them. This match will also feature Anthony Davis and Rudy Gobert in the lead-up.

Maybe Los Angeles can take advantage in transition, something Minnesota doesn’t do particularly well. The best way for LA to win this game is to control the tempo like they did successfully on opening night.

It will take a lot for them to do this considering they are at the end of a back-to-back tournament and their win against the Jazz was in the balance. Hopefully JJ Redick comes up with a good game plan again and the Lakers take advantage of the Wolves’ inconsistencies.

Let’s see if LA can continue to pick up wins on this road trip against the Timberwolves on Monday.

Notes and updates

• One development worth highlighting is that the Lakers played well away from home. After their first road trip where they were 1-4, they are now 5-5 after beating the Jazz on Sunday night.
• There is no update on the injury report yet as LA just called it quits on the Jazz. But expect D’Angelo Russell (illness), Austin Reaves (left pelvic contusion) and Cam Reddish (illness) to be game-winning decisions.
• To no one’s surprise, Jaxson Hayes (right ankle sprain/bruise), Jarred Vanderbilt (right foot surgery) and Christian Wood (left knee surgery) are out.
• As for the Wolves, everyone except Joe Ingles (left soleus) is out.
• We’ll be live on playback for this game, so be sure to join us!

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglanI.