Los Angeles Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves: preview and player stats (Dec 18, 2026)

Injury/Illness - Left Heel Contusion / Bone Bruise (2026-11-15, LAL@PHX). Prior reporting (2026-11-15): Reaves (heel) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Suns, Daniel Starkand of LakersNation.com reports. Reaves is dealing with a left heel bruise he sustained during Wednesday's 123-112 victory over Milwaukee, and he'll now miss his second contest of the season. Luka Doncic will carry the load on offense, while Collin Sexton, Jaden Hardy and Ziaire Williams should see a boost in minutes.

Injury/Illness - Right Finger Splint (2026-11-15, LAL@PHX).

Injury/Illness - Right Orbital Laceration (2026-11-15, LAL@PHX). Prior reporting (2026-11-15): Sexton (head) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Suns, Daniel Starkand of LakersNation.com reports. Sexton was a full participant in Saturday's practice, and while the questionable tag exercises some caution, he's trending in the right direction and could be available Sunday. The veteran has been putting up solid numbers of late, scoring in double digits in all but one of his last five appearances and averaging 11.0 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game in that span.

Injury/Illness - Illness (2026-11-15, LAL@PHX).

Injury/Illness - Left Ankle Sprain (2026-11-15, LAL@PHX). Prior reporting (2026-11-15): Thiero (ankle) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Suns. Thiero missed the first nine games of the season due to a knee injury, and he's now dealing with a sprained left ankle. If he's unable to suit up, Ziaire Williams and Sandro Mamukelashvili will likely soak up any vacated minutes.

Injury/Illness - Illness (2026-11-15, LAL@PHX).

DiVincenzo (Achilles) remains confident that he'll return during the 2026-27 season, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reports. DiVincenzo is approaching six months since tearing his right Achilles during the first round of the playoffs and has been rehabbing with the expectation that he'll play at some point this season. The veteran guard has sought advice from Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard during his recovery, though Minnesota has yet to establish a timetable for his return.

Edwards underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure on his right knee Thursday, the Timberwolves announced. Edwards underwent debridement surgery in Minnesota, though the team did not provide a timetable for his return. The star guard is expected to make a full recovery, with additional updates coming as he progresses through rehabilitation. Based on previous reporting from ESPN's Shams Charania, Edwards could miss up to two months. Edwards was off to a scorching start this season, averaging 33.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals across four appearances.

Clark (hamstring) has been ruled out for the remainder of Saturday's game against the Bulls, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News reports. Clark tweaked his right hamstring and will not return to tonight's contest. He played three minutes off the bench prior to his exit, leaving more opportunities available for Terrence Shannon Jr. and Bones Hyland.