Minnesota caught a needed break Sunday in Los Angeles.

With every game carrying immense weight over this last week of the NBA season in the race for the No. 1 seed in the West, Minnesota — fresh off a loss Friday in Phoenix — was tasked with a road bout against the surging Lakers.

The Lakers entered Sunday’s game as winners of nine of their previous 10 contests. They beat the Wolves the last time Minnesota came to town. The Wolves were in danger of dropping out of the top spot in the West.

But then LeBron James was ruled out with flu-like symptoms in the hours leading up to tip-off. Still, Minnesota trailed by four at the end of the first frame in Los Angeles as the Wolves struggled to find defensive answers.

And then Anthony Davis left the game with an eye injury after that first quarter, and he did not return. Without their top star players, Los Angeles no longer had any defensive presence, nor enough firepower to keep pace as Minnesota used a big second quarter to spark a 127-115 victory.

With the win, the Wolves (54-24) are again in a tie with Denver atop the Western Conference standings. Minnesota has the tiebreaker over the Nuggets, but the two teams will meet for one final regular season matchup Wednesday in Denver.

There was little to be gained knowledge-wise about any potential first-round series between the Lakers and Wolves given the absences Sunday, but all that matters in the present for Minnesota is it was able to stack another victory.

Naz Reid was again excellent for Minnesota, knocking down one outside shot after another. Reid — who struggled Friday in Phoenix — was the offensive force the Lakers had no answer for. The big man went north of 30 points. Davis’ absence rendered Los Angeles’ defense relatively moot. The Lakers were sans a rim protector, forcing Los Angeles to sell out to protect the paint.

So when Anthony Edwards was able to get into the teeth of the defense, he could either finish or kick out to shooters. He did plenty of both. And Rudy Gobert had no real counterpart, and dominated on the glass because of it. Minnesota led by 15 at the break after scoring 42 points in the second frame.

To the Lakers’ credit, they countered in the third. Rui Hachimura — who eclipsed the 30-point mark himself — found offense in the paint and beyond the arc. Los Angeles pulled within four in the third before Minnesota closed the quarter strong to push the advantage back to 10.

The Wolves tightened the screws defensively to open the fourth and effectively put the game away.

Minnesota now returns home for a date with Washington on Tuesday before Wednesday’s pivotal bout with Denver.