Two of the Western Conference's most seasoned teams are riding high heading into tonight's matchup, as the postseason race in the Western Conference heats up.
The Minnesota Timberwolves just won their biggest comeback victory in more than 27 years, defeating the West-leading Thunder by 25 points. The Los Angeles Lakers made their own statement the next night, defeating Dallas with a 13th victory in 16 games thanks to a triple-double from Luka Dončić against his old club and a dominant late performance by LeBron James.
Dončić has now recorded a triple-double in the regular season versus 29 of the 30 NBA clubs, including the Mavericks, with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists. The sole remaining team? The Timberwolves.
Luka will become one of just two players to record a triple-double against every NBA club if he does so tonight, joining LeBron James and Russell Westbrook.
The occasion would occur the night before his 26th birthday, marking yet another accomplishment on a CV that already ranks second in terms of triple-doubles before the age of 26, only surpassed by Oscar Robertson.
The Lakers, with a league-best 13-3 record, have been the NBA's hottest club since January 20. Although Luka's move to Los Angeles has garnered attention, the team's defense has been the main factor driving its success.
James, who is 40 years old and has the fifth-best DefRtg among players who have played 30+ minutes a game in at least five games, is leading the charge.
According to Lakers head coach JJ Redick, LeBron is performing at an All-NBA Defense level. "I always watch it at night. At that end of the floor, there is no energy conservation."
This season, the Wolves have lost despite L.A.'s recent supremacy. Minnesota's defense shut down the Lakers in their past two encounters, keeping them below 90 points in consecutive victories.
Can the Wolves halt the Lakers' ascent once more now that they are a mere half-game behind the Clippers for the last Western playoff spot? Or will LeBron and Luka continue to host the Lake Show?