The 7th seed Los Angeles Lakers will face off against the 8th seed Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament on Tuesday. The game will take place in Los Angeles, and the winner of the game will move on to play the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. The loser will still have a chance to move on and face the Denver Nuggets in the first round; they will have to beat the winner of the 10th seed Oklahoma City Thunder and 9th seed New Orleans Pelicans to earn this right.

In terms of the Lakers chances against the Timberwolves, there are a lot of key storylines to watch. Most belong on the Timberwolves' side, as the final day of the regular season was filled with turmoil. Role player Jaden McDaniels broke his hand after punching a wall in frustration, and center Rudy Gobert threw a punch at forward Kyle Anderson during a scuffle that broke out in-game on the bench. The Timberwolves sent Gobert home and are currently mulling whether or not they will be suspending him for the play-in game. Either way, the Lakers need to focus on their own preparation.

They look to be healthy heading into the matchup, and are coming off of a victory over the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Friday, March 31st. LeBron James, Anthony Davis and company are looking to ride the momentum of a solid second half to the season into the play-in and beyond. However, if the Lakers are to beat the Timberwolves first, there is a huge X-factor that will need to materialize, and it has nothing to do with James or Davis. So, what is the key to the Lakers beating the Timberwolves?

Here is the primary X-factor in a Lakers win over the Timberwolves in the 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament.

*Stats via ESPN

Jarred Vanderbilt

Since arriving in Los Angeles, Vanderbilt has helped change the identity of the Lakers on the defensive side of the ball. After being acquired at the trade deadline, Vanderbilt has helped lead the Lakers to the best defensive rating in the entire NBA, along with allowing the second-lowest effective field goal percentage to opponents (50.6%). After starting the season 2-10, the Lakers finished the regular season at 43-39, a remarkable turnaround that was ushered by trades made by GM Rob Pelinka at the deadline.

Vanderbilt played his first game with the Lakers on February 11, a 109-103 win against the Golden State Warriors. With this win included, the Lakers were a Western Conference best 18-9 to finish out the season and became the 7th seed. Going into the play-in game against the Timberwolves, there are two key reasons that Vanderbilt will be the X-factor in determining if the Lakers move on into the NBA Playoffs. The first, and primary reason, is his aforementioned defense.

Besides his numbers on paper, Vanderbilt brings an energy and intensity that the Lakers were lacking before he arrived. Against the Timberwolves it will be paramount, as he is the best option to match up with the impressive length and athleticism of the Minnesota roster. Vanderbilt is 6'8 and 215 pounds, but is extremely quick and lanky, able to effectively guard all five positions. The Timberwolves make a living on playing fast, constant basketball, and Vanderbilt will be essential in slowing down their offense. If Gobert is suspended, this will become even more imperative, as the Timberwolves will be down the only player that really slows down their style of play. Along with his athletic defense, Vanderbilt needs to be a beast on the boards.

Without Gobert, rebounding will become less of an issue, but Vanderbilt still needs to be the man on the glass when Davis is out of the game. Given both James and Davis injury concerns, Vanderbilt needs to be the player on the Lakers who is aggressive on both offensive and defensive rebound situations, as well as loose-ball situations. If Vanderbilt can continue to excel as a hustle player for the Lakers, he frees up James and Davis to do what they do best: score the ball.

Vanderbilt is an able scorer himself, but he has shown to be a perfect role player for the Lakers that makes every play count. The intensity of the game will be heightened regardless due to a playoff atmosphere, so Vanderbilt will look to have an extra edge out there. He will need to be playing with a lot of energy if he is going to help the Lakers move on into the NBA Playoffs, hoping to slow down the Timberwolves fast offensive attack. If Vanderbilt can maintain his play since becoming a Laker, Los Angeles fans should be hopeful for a matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the 2o23 NBA Playoffs.