The Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves open shop on a gloomy note days after the untimely death of T-Wolves head coach Flip Saunders.
Even though the Timberwolves were already given a heads-up that Saunders would not be around for this season, his sudden death came as a shock to the ball club and the National Basketball Association (NBA) for that matter.
It remains to be seen if such would have a negative or positive effect on Minnesota, although they could dedicate their first game to Saunders and come out with a big win.
Leading the pack are, of course, Andrew Wiggins and rookie Karl-Anthony Towns. What is interesting to look out for is whether or not Wiggins would indeed be playing the off guard position. If so, fans could see him match up with Kobe Bryant who is expected to play.
The game will also showcase the top two rookies from the recent NBA draft. Towns and Lakers' guard D'Angelo Russell will play their first official NBA game against each other. Another rookie to watch out for is Tyus Jones, another promising playmaker.
Eyes will likewise be on the sophomores. For the T-Wolves, Zach LaVine tries to shrug off a poor preseason while Julius Randle attempts to return with a vengeance. Jordan Clarkson remains questionable for the match, following a shoulder injury in the Lakers preseason finale.
Clarkson's injury is not seen as serious but he is still sore. He was expected to play in the team's season opener until he sustained that injury. Will Russell start instead?
For now, the Lakers hold a slight edge because of Bryant. If the Black Mamba puts on a shooting display, then the T-Wolves are in trouble.
The Lakers host the T-Wolves at the Staples Center today, Oct. 28, starting at 10:30 p.m. EST. The game will be televised via ESPN. For live streaming, you can catch the game here.
