MINNEAPOLIS — The history dates back well before this chapter. Since Patrick Beverley took a dive into Russell Westbrook’s leg in 2013, the two have been at each other’s throats.

Nine years later, there might be no one reveling in the Lakers’ torment quite like Beverley: During the second quarter of Wednesday night’s game at Target Center, the 33-year-old guard darted past an inattentive Westbrook to pick off an offensive rebound and convert a putback to extend the Minnesota Timberwolves’ lead to 18 points.

As he ran back on defense, he shouted at the Lakers’ bench: “He’s trash! Trash!” And if that wasn’t enough emphasis, he pinched his own nose.

The Lakers’ losses are getting old fast. But with each defeat – now 16 in their past 21 games after the 124-104 loss to the Timberwolves – their opponents seem emboldened simply by taking the court against them.

A familiar pattern unfolded in Minnesota: The Lakers fell behind early, unable to hit as much as a shot from beyond the arc and crumbling into chaos on the defensive end. In the second half, after trailing by as much as 25 points, the Lakers finally were able to resemble a competitive team, pulling close enough to raise an eyebrow but not truly challenge the Timberwolves for the lead.

Again, the Lakers’ struggles came from the top down. LeBron James labored to shoot 3 for 12 in the first half before finishing with a flurry in the second half to wind up with 19 points on 21 shots. Westbrook looked lost early, missing his first three shots and taking until the second quarter to finally score as the Timberwolves shouted at him to shoot every time the ball touched his hands. He finished 5 for 12 from the field.

But it was, also again, a team failure. In the first half alone, Wayne Ellington was the only Laker to hit a 3-pointer; the rest of the team started 0 for 17 from behind the arc.

The Lakers’ recent starts have been eye-aching stretches of futility: In the last three first quarters they’ve played, they’ve shot under 25% from the floor, including going just 1 for 33 on 3-pointers. In all three games, they’ve trailed by at least 14 points in the first frame.

They were able to close the gap in the third quarter, in part because Karl-Anthony Towns, (fresh off a 60-point game in San Antonio) was saddled with foul trouble. That was when the Lakers suddenly got hot from deep and reeled off a 31-19 quarter as D.J. Augustin’s third-quarter buzzer-beater brought them within single digits.

The closest they got was four points for all of 19 seconds. After that basket, a baseline jumper again by Augustin, Towns scored on a hook shot, then barrelled his way into the post against the undersized Lakers for the rest of the game. From that moment when hope seemed in reach, the Wolves pounded the Lakers, 35-19

When Westbrook shot an airball from the corner with a few minutes left, the Minnesota bench – including Beverley – exploded in laughter, essentially the moment any whiff of competitive energy left the evening. Towns ambled over to the baseline where the ball bounced away and, looking at the crowd, put his hand against his forehead as he mockingly pretended to try to find it.

Towns finished with a game-high 30 points (16 in the fourth quarter), giving an exaggerated, mocking wave to the Lakers as he headed to the bench.

A lot of foes are mocking the Lakers lately. They haven’t figured out how to make them pay for the indignity.

More to come on this story.