Frank Vogel Says Lakers 'Really Want to Turn It Around' After Loss vs. Timberwolves

The 29-40 Los Angeles Lakers have lost 12 of their last 15 games after falling 124-104 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.

After the Lakers' last defeat, head coach Frank Vogel praised the team's effort compared to previous games in addition to citing L.A.'s desire to turn the season around:

The Lakers are running out of time to do just that.

Six of their next seven games are on the road, and they have a brutal slate of opponents up ahead that includes the NBA-best Phoenix Suns, the 47-win Golden State Warriors, likely NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets (twice) and some future playoff participants in the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks.

The other issue is that the Lakers are in danger of completely falling out of the play-in tournament picture entirely. The seventh- through 10th-place teams in each conference enter the play-in field.

L.A. is currently ninth, but the 28-41 New Orleans Pelicans, 27-43 San Antonio Spurs and 26-42 Portland Trail Blazers are all within distance. If two of those three teams surpass the Lakers, then L.A. won't even have a chance to qualify for the postseason.

Wednesday's game didn't inspire any confidence in a potential turnaround. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards combined for 57 points as the Timberwolves led 57-36 at halftime. L.A. charged back in the third quarter, but Minnesota ran away with this one with 38 fourth-quarter points.

The Lakers will look to bounce back Friday at the Toronto Raptors at 7:30 p.m. ET.