A pair of Western Conference contenders will look to avoid the wrong side of .500 Wednesday night in Minneapolis, with the Minnesota Timberwolves set to host the Los Angeles Lakers.

Both the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves may be without multiple players in Wednesday night's matchup.

Smart was brought in to provide toughness, veteran leadership and high-energy play, with hopes he could help stabilize the backcourt and elevate the team’s defensive identity. Through his first three games in Los Angeles, Smart has averaged 7.7 points, 1.0 rebound, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steal per game while shooting 43.8% from the field.