Some games in late January are not very important.
That is not the case for Thursday night’s Wolves and Lakers game in Los Angeles.
Both teams are hoping to get into the top eight in the Western Conference when the season ends in mid-April. The Lakers are 25-23, ninth in the West and a game back from the eight seed. The Wolves are 23-24, 2.5 games back.
If we learned anything from last season, it’s that every game matters. Game 82 couldn’t have been a more accurate representation of that. I know it doesn’t always feel like that in January or February when you don’t know what the final standings will look like, but obviously, it all adds up.