The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 120-106 on March 10, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The result moved both teams to 40-25 and completed a three-game Lakers regular-season sweep.
The matchup carried direct Western Conference implications. Minnesota entered 40-24 and third in the West. Los Angeles entered 39-25 and fifth.
LeBron James missed his third consecutive game because of hip and foot problems. Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber were also unavailable.
Minnesota had most of its primary rotation available. Kyle Anderson returned after being listed with a right knee issue.
The game remained tied at halftime before Los Angeles took control in the third quarter. The Lakers won that period 39-23 and entered the fourth ahead 84-68.
Los Angeles also limited its turnovers and created more scoring from Minnesota mistakes. Those differences protected the lead during Minnesota’s higher-scoring fourth quarter.
Match Overview
This was the third and final regular-season meeting between the teams. Los Angeles had already won twice in October before completing the sweep.
| Detail | Information |
| Date | March 10, 2026 |
| Venue | Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles |
| Competition | 2025-26 NBA regular season |
| Final Score | Lakers 120, Timberwolves 106 |
| Postgame Records | Lakers 40-25, Timberwolves 40-25 |
Pre-Match Context
Minnesota arrived with a 40-24 record and held third place in the Western Conference before tipoff. The Timberwolves had recently produced a five-game winning streak before Orlando ended it.
The Lakers entered 39-25 after winning five of their previous six games. They had beaten New York 110-97 two days earlier.
Only one game separated Minnesota and Los Angeles entering the matchup. The Lakers had already secured the season-series advantage by winning both October meetings.
James remained the biggest Lakers absence. He was ultimately ruled out with a right hip contusion and left foot arthritis.
Hayes developed back soreness before the game. Kleber was also ruled out because of a back strain.
Minnesota received positive injury news when Anderson became available. He had missed the previous game because of a right knee injury.
Quarter by Quarter Score
The first half produced only 90 combined points. The scoring pace changed considerably after halftime, particularly for Los Angeles.
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Timberwolves | 21 | 24 | 23 | 38 | 106 |
| Lakers | 16 | 29 | 39 | 36 | 120 |
Quarter by Quarter Breakdown
First Quarter
Minnesota opened the game with five consecutive points before Los Angeles scored. Anthony Edwards scored the opening basket before Julius Randle added a three-pointer.
The Lakers struggled to convert early opportunities. They missed 17 of their first 21 field-goal attempts during the quarter.
Los Angeles still worked back from the initial deficit. Marcus Smart and Luka Dončić provided early baskets during that response.
Minnesota finished the period ahead 21-16. Neither team established an extended offensive rhythm during the opening 12 minutes.
Second Quarter
Minnesota briefly pushed its advantage to 25-18 after a Naz Reid three-pointer. Deandre Ayton then generated several interior scores for Los Angeles.
Austin Reaves tied the game at 30-30 with a driving layup. Donte DiVincenzo answered with a three-pointer on Minnesota’s next scoring possession.
The teams continued exchanging small leads through the final minutes. Dončić made a three-pointer with 1:39 remaining to reduce Minnesota’s lead.
Jaden McDaniels then made a jumper for a 45-42 Minnesota advantage. Rui Hachimura answered with five seconds remaining.
Hachimura’s three-pointer sent the teams into halftime tied 45-45.
Third Quarter
Los Angeles took control immediately after halftime. Dončić opened the quarter with a driving layup after an Edwards offensive turnover.
The Lakers forced additional Minnesota turnovers while widening the lead. Dončić and Reaves became the primary scorers during the run.
Reaves entered halftime with only two points. He scored 16 during the third quarter.
His scoring included a three-pointer plus a foul at 4:32. He added another three-pointer with 3:18 remaining.
Los Angeles eventually reached an 84-65 advantage before Bones Hyland hit a late three-pointer.
The Lakers won the quarter 39-23. They entered the fourth leading 84-68.
Fourth Quarter
Luke Kennard opened the final period with consecutive baskets. Reaves then converted another three-pointer plus a free throw.
Reaves followed that play with another three-pointer. Los Angeles reached a 95-72 advantage with 10:11 remaining.
That 23-point margin was the Lakers’ largest lead. Minnesota reduced the deficit to 99-84 with 7:09 remaining. Los Angeles responded with consecutive threes from Smart and Dončić.
The lead returned to 105-84. Minnesota never brought the margin back into single digits. Both teams used reserves during the closing minutes. Los Angeles finished with a 120-106 victory.
Team Stats Comparison
The box score shows several clear differences despite similar overall field-goal percentages. Los Angeles generated more assists, rebounds, paint scoring, and points from turnovers.
| Statistic | Timberwolves | Lakers |
| Points | 106 | 120 |
| Field Goals | 37-80, 46.3% | 45-93, 48.4% |
| Three-Pointers | 10-40, 25.0% | 11-38, 28.9% |
| Free Throws | 22-28, 78.6% | 19-26, 73.1% |
| Rebounds | 43 | 47 |
| Assists | 22 | 31 |
| Turnovers | 11 | 6 |
| Steals | 4 | 7 |
| Blocks | 5 | 2 |
| Points in Paint | 42 | 56 |
| Bench Points | 61 | 27 |
| Points off Turnovers | 4 | 20 |
| Biggest Lead | 8 | 23 |
Key Numbers That Decided the Game
The biggest differences appeared after halftime and in possession management.
- 39-23 third quarter: Los Angeles created a 16-point advantage during the decisive period.
- Six Lakers turnovers: Minnesota committed 11, giving Los Angeles five additional turnover advantages.
- 20-4 points off turnovers: Los Angeles converted Minnesota mistakes into considerably more scoring.
- 56-42 paint scoring: The Lakers produced 14 more points from inside the paint.
- 31-22 assists: Los Angeles created nine more assisted baskets during the game flow.
Full Box Score: Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles received 31 points from both Dončić and Reaves. Dončić added a triple-double, while Reaves contributed seven rebounds and eight assists.
Ayton supplied the main interior contribution with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Seven Lakers played at least 24 minutes.
Lakers Player Production
| Player | Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Marcus Smart | 31:20 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| Rui Hachimura | 24:29 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| Deandre Ayton | 34:08 | 14 | 12 | 2 |
| Austin Reaves | 38:28 | 31 | 7 | 8 |
| Luka Dončić | 34:56 | 31 | 11 | 11 |
| Luke Kennard | 26:22 | 10 | 2 | 2 |
| Jake LaRavia | 24:47 | 8 | 7 | 4 |
| Jarred Vanderbilt | 14:43 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Drew Timme | 2:56 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Adou Thiero | 1:58 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Dalton Knecht | 1:58 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bronny James | 1:58 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kobe Bufkin | 1:58 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Lakers Shooting and Plus-Minus
| Player | FG | 3PT | FT | +/- |
| Marcus Smart | 3-7 | 1-4 | 1-1 | +14 |
| Rui Hachimura | 4-8 | 1-4 | 0-0 | +3 |
| Deandre Ayton | 7-11 | 0-0 | 0-2 | +10 |
| Austin Reaves | 10-20 | 4-10 | 7-9 | +18 |
| Luka Dončić | 11-24 | 4-12 | 5-6 | +20 |
| Luke Kennard | 5-8 | 0-2 | 0-0 | +2 |
| Jake LaRavia | 1-7 | 0-2 | 6-8 | +13 |
| Jarred Vanderbilt | 2-5 | 0-2 | 0-0 | -1 |
| Drew Timme | 1-1 | 1-1 | 0-0 | -1 |
| Adou Thiero | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -2 |
| Dalton Knecht | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -2 |
| Bronny James | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -2 |
| Kobe Bufkin | 1-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | -2 |
Full Box Score: Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota produced balanced bench scoring, but its starting unit struggled to match Los Angeles after halftime.
Randle and Edwards each scored 14 points. Edwards finished 2-for-15 overall and made one of his 10 three-point attempts.
Rudy Gobert collected 12 rebounds. Four Minnesota reserves reached double figures in scoring.
Timberwolves Player Production
| Player | Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Jaden McDaniels | 26:29 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Julius Randle | 26:08 | 14 | 7 | 2 |
| Rudy Gobert | 27:09 | 3 | 12 | 2 |
| Anthony Edwards | 30:51 | 14 | 2 | 4 |
| Donte DiVincenzo | 31:32 | 8 | 5 | 2 |
| Naz Reid | 25:01 | 13 | 6 | 1 |
| Ayo Dosunmu | 19:30 | 13 | 2 | 1 |
| Kyle Anderson | 14:32 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Bones Hyland | 15:37 | 11 | 0 | 3 |
| Terrence Shannon Jr. | 7:31 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| Julian Phillips | 3:55 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Joe Ingles | 3:55 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jaylen Clark | 3:55 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Joan Beringer | 3:55 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Timberwolves Shooting and Plus-Minus
| Player | FG | 3PT | FT | +/- |
| Jaden McDaniels | 3-9 | 0-5 | 0-0 | -10 |
| Julius Randle | 5-11 | 1-5 | 3-3 | -11 |
| Rudy Gobert | 0-1 | 0-0 | 3-6 | -11 |
| Anthony Edwards | 2-15 | 1-10 | 9-10 | -15 |
| Donte DiVincenzo | 3-9 | 2-6 | 0-0 | -15 |
| Naz Reid | 6-11 | 1-5 | 0-0 | -12 |
| Ayo Dosunmu | 6-8 | 0-2 | 1-2 | -12 |
| Kyle Anderson | 2-2 | 0-0 | 1-2 | -6 |
| Bones Hyland | 3-5 | 2-4 | 3-3 | -2 |
| Terrence Shannon Jr. | 4-6 | 2-2 | 2-2 | +4 |
| Julian Phillips | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +5 |
| Joe Ingles | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +5 |
| Jaylen Clark | 2-2 | 1-1 | 0-0 | +5 |
| Joan Beringer | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +5 |
Mike Conley did not play because of a coaching decision. He is therefore excluded from the statistical tables.
Game Leaders and Top Performers
Luka Dončić
Dončić finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. He recorded his seventh triple-double of the season.
He also registered two steals and one block. His plus-minus finished at a game-high plus-20.
Dončić scored 14 second-half points. He also assisted several baskets during Los Angeles’ third-quarter separation.
Austin Reaves
Reaves scored 31 points after producing only two before halftime. He added seven rebounds and eight assists.
Sixteen of his points came during the third quarter. His scoring helped turn a 45-45 halftime score into an 84-68 Lakers advantage.
Reaves continued scoring early in the fourth. His three-pointer and free throw helped Los Angeles reach its largest advantage.
Deandre Ayton
Ayton finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Five of those rebounds came on the offensive glass.
His interior scoring helped Los Angeles finish with 56 paint points. Ayton also played 34 minutes with Hayes and Kleber unavailable.
Minnesota’s Reserve Unit
Minnesota received 61 bench points compared with 27 from Los Angeles. Reid, Dosunmu, Hyland, and Shannon each reached double figures.
That production kept Minnesota scoring during the second half. However, the Lakers maintained their lead through their starting backcourt.
Game Leaders Summary
| Player | Team | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Luka Dončić | Lakers | 31 | 11 | 11 |
| Austin Reaves | Lakers | 31 | 7 | 8 |
| Deandre Ayton | Lakers | 14 | 12 | 2 |
| Julius Randle | Timberwolves | 14 | 7 | 2 |
| Anthony Edwards | Timberwolves | 14 | 2 | 4 |
Starting Lineups
Both teams used conventional two-forward, two-guard, and one-center starting groups. Los Angeles started Smart at forward with James unavailable.
| Position | Lakers | Timberwolves |
| Guard | Luka Dončić | Anthony Edwards |
| Guard | Austin Reaves | Donte DiVincenzo |
| Forward | Marcus Smart | Jaden McDaniels |
| Forward | Rui Hachimura | Julius Randle |
| Center | Deandre Ayton | Rudy Gobert |
Injury Report
Los Angeles entered the game without James and then lost additional frontcourt depth before tipoff. Hayes and Kleber were both late scratches.
Anderson represented Minnesota’s primary pregame injury concern. He was cleared to play and logged 14:32 off the bench.
| Player | Injury | Status |
| LeBron James, Lakers | Right hip contusion, left foot arthritis | Out |
| Jaxson Hayes, Lakers | Back soreness | Out |
| Maxi Kleber, Lakers | Back strain | Out |
| Kyle Anderson, Timberwolves | Right knee | Available |
James’ absence moved more offensive responsibility toward Dončić and Reaves. Los Angeles also relied heavily on Ayton because of its reduced center depth.
Season Series and Head to Head
Los Angeles won all three 2025-26 regular-season meetings. Minnesota had eliminated the Lakers from the 2025 playoffs one season earlier.
2025-26 Regular-Season Meetings
| Date | Venue | Winner | Score |
| Oct. 24, 2025 | Crypto.com Arena | Lakers | 128-110 |
| Oct. 29, 2025 | Target Center | Lakers | 116-115 |
| Mar. 10, 2026 | Crypto.com Arena | Lakers | 120-106 |
The October 29 game was the closest meeting. Reaves scored the winning basket as Los Angeles escaped with a one-point victory. The March result completed a 3-0 Lakers sweep.
Previous 2025 Playoff Meetings
Minnesota had controlled the previous postseason series. The Timberwolves eliminated Los Angeles in five games during the 2025 first round.
| Game | Venue | Winner | Score |
| Game 1 | Los Angeles | Timberwolves | 117-95 |
| Game 2 | Los Angeles | Lakers | 94-85 |
| Game 3 | Minnesota | Timberwolves | 116-104 |
| Game 4 | Minnesota | Timberwolves | 116-113 |
| Game 5 | Los Angeles | Timberwolves | 103-96 |
Minnesota won that playoff series 4-1 before advancing to the Western Conference Finals.
Western Conference Standings
The teams were separated by one game before tipoff. The victory moved Los Angeles level with Minnesota at 40-25.
| Team | Pregame Position | Pregame Record | Postgame Record |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 3rd | 40-24 | 40-25 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 5th | 39-25 | 40-25 |
The result pulled the Lakers even with Minnesota around the fourth-place position in the Western Conference race.
Broadcast and Stream Information
The game received national television coverage as part of the NBA’s Tuesday schedule.
| Detail | Information |
| Date | March 10, 2026 |
| Tipoff | 11:00 p.m. ET |
| National TV | NBC |
| Streaming | Peacock |
| Venue | Crypto.com Arena |
Conclusion
The March 10 result changed the immediate Western Conference picture by bringing Los Angeles level with Minnesota.
Los Angeles created the decisive separation immediately after halftime. Better possession control and stronger scoring from Minnesota turnovers helped maintain that advantage.
The Lakers then prepared to host Chicago on March 12. Minnesota continued its road trip the following night against the Los Angeles Clippers.
For Minnesota, the defeat extended its losing run to two games after its earlier five-game winning streak. Los Angeles recorded its third consecutive victory.
For more match updates, read: Green Bay Packers vs Pittsburgh Steelers Match Player Stats
FAQ
Who won the Lakers vs Timberwolves game on March 10, 2026?
The Lakers won 120-106 at Crypto.com Arena. Los Angeles moved to 40-25 and completed a three-game regular-season sweep.
What were Luka Dončić’s stats against the Timberwolves?
Dončić recorded 31 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. He also had two steals and one block in 34:56.
How many points did Austin Reaves score against Minnesota?
Reaves scored 31 points and added seven rebounds and eight assists. He scored 16 points during Los Angeles’ decisive third quarter.
What were Anthony Edwards’ stats against the Lakers?
Edwards finished with 14 points, four assists, and two rebounds. He shot 2-for-15 overall and 1-for-10 from three.
Why did LeBron James not play against Minnesota?
James missed the game because of a right hip contusion and left foot arthritis. It was his third consecutive missed game.
What quarter decided the Lakers vs Timberwolves game?
The third quarter created the separation. Los Angeles outscored Minnesota 39-23 and turned a halftime tie into a 16-point advantage.
Did the Lakers sweep the Timberwolves in 2025-26?
Yes. Los Angeles won all three regular-season meetings, including two games in October and the March 10 matchup.
