Unsure as to when LeBron James will return, Lakers lose again to Timberwolves

MINNEAPOLIS —  Anthony Davis grabbed the ball after it swished through the net and slammed his head against it in frustration.

The Lakers had been fighting, again without LeBron James who remained away from the team because of a sore foot. They traveled to Minnesota, a place where they had just played one of their worst offensive games in years, and it was happening again.

The ball wouldn’t fall, the Lakers couldn’t score and, to make matters worse, Davis had turned it over again — the ball simply squirting out of his hands leading to a Minnesota three.

The basketball deserved to be punished.

Lakers coach JJ Redick, right, talks with forward Anthony Davis during the first half of a 97-87 loss to the Timberwolves on Friday night.

(Abbie Parr / Associated Press)

No matter how much the Lakers defended, no matter how often they climbed back into a game they never led, the basketball just wouldn’t do the things the Lakers wanted it to do on the offensive end.

They missed three after three, they repeatedly turned it over — and in the end — somehow they were only slightly better than they were in the same building 11 days ago.

The Lakers lost 97-87 Friday night, unable to make any real offensive improvement from an 80-point game against the Timberwolves on Dec. 2.

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In that loss to Minnesota, they turned it over 21 times. Friday, they matched that.

In three games against Minnesota this season, the Lakers have made just 21 of 96 three-point shots.

Davis led the Lakers with 23 points and Austin Reaves, playing for the first time in five games, scored 18.

Lakers star LeBron James sits in street clothes on the bench next to his son, Bronny James, during a win over Portland at Crypto.com Arena on Dec. 8.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

James didn’t accompany the team to Minnesota, the 39-year-old listed as out with a left foot injury. James hasn’t been around the Lakers this week because of “personal reasons,” according to the Lakers and coach JJ Redick.

James hasn’t been around the Lakers because of “personal reasons,” according to the Lakers and coach JJ Redick.

Asked if he knew when James would return to the Lakers, Redick said, “no.”

Because the Lakers didn’t advance in the NBA Cup, the team is playing just three games over a 13-day stretch — a rare midseason break for James, in his 22nd season, to mentally and physically recover.

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