The Los Angeles Lakers need one victory in their final four games to wrap up the top seed in the Western Conference. With or without Kobe Bryant, earning that win is very much possible against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Trying to avoid matching a season high with their third straight loss, the visiting Lakers look for an 11th consecutive victory over the lowly Timberwolves on Friday night.
It's uncertain if Bryant, averaging 27.1 points this season, will be given a second straight night off to rest his swollen right knee and aching right index finger. As a precaution, the All-Star sat out Los Angeles' 98-96 loss at Denver on Thursday.
"We want him ready for the playoffs, that's the bottom line,'' said Lakers forward Pau Gasol, who finished with 26 points and 13 rebounds. "We've got to play hard and win ball games anyway.''
Bryant isn't the only injured player for the Lakers, who can also clinch the top spot in the West with a Denver loss.
Ron Artest, who had 22 points against the Nuggets, has been playing with a bruised left heel and a sprained left thumb, while guard Shannon Brown has been bothered by a sprained right thumb and Sasha Vujacic a sprained right shoulder.
Coach Phil Jackson has suggested he could rest some of his ailing players prior to the playoffs.
Though Los Angeles (55-23) remains in position to earn home-court advantage throughout the conference playoffs, it's lost five of seven overall and three in a row on road. The Lakers dropped three straight overall March 4-7.
Still, a visit to Minnesota might be enough to get them back on track.
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