NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
LOS ANGELES— The Los Angeles Lakers secured the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference, thanks to a significantly enhanced defense, exemplary performances from LeBron James, and the impactful signing of Luka Dončić.
These elements became evident in the opening playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves— showing up slightly late but just in time.
In Game 2, the Lakers established control early, never looking back after the opening minutes. They maintained a double-digit lead for most of the contest, showcased their star power when needed, and left the Wolves feeling frustrated and questioning their confidence in the series.
While Minnesota managed to split the games at Crypto.com Arena, they must recognize that the Lakers can match their physical, low-scoring style when necessary.
“The mindset for both teams is to engage in a gritty battle,” said Lakers coach JJ Redick.
Here are Five Insights from the Lakers’ 94-85 triumph, which resulted in a tied series at one game each:
In the upcoming 2024 Western Conference Finals, Dončić sent the Timberwolves off to their summer break. It was a dominant performance that earned him the finals MVP title, averaging 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists while shooting 47% overall (43% from three-point range) and 85% from the free-throw line. His play was formidable.
Switching from Dallas to L.A. hasn’t changed the outcome of his performance thus far. Despite the praise for Minnesota’s defense, Dončić remains a challenge they can’t contain. After two games, he’s emerged as the standout player on the court, even alongside LeBron and Anthony Edwards.
He actively targets Rudy Gobert during isolations — the crowd erupts with excitement when this occurs — and effectively takes on Jaden McDaniels as well. He was just one assist shy of achieving a triple-double with 31 points in Game 2, averaging 34 points for the series.
Minnesota typically avoids doubling opponents, relying on their strong one-on-one defense; however, Dončić is putting that strategy to the test. A reevaluation might be necessary.
Inside the NBA: Are the Lakers overly dependent on Luka Dončić in isolation plays?
In Game 1, Minnesota knocked down 21 three-pointers, with Jaden McDaniels scoring 25 points while hitting only two misses. These pivotal performances helped the Timberwolves take an early lead in the series.
However, this team doesn’t usually maintain that high three-point accuracy, especially not at a 50% success rate. McDaniels, known primarily for his defensive skills, has a career average of just 10 points and averaged 12 this season. Therefore, those expecting the Wolves to sustain this scoring could be setting themselves up for disappointment.
In Game 2, they struggled with a 5-for-25 showing from beyond the arc, a dreadful statistic for their chances. McDaniels had a tough night, going 0-for-3 on three-pointers and finishing with only eight points.
The Timberwolves lacked a secondary scorer when offensive production was scarce. It was only Julius Randle, who posted a playoff career-high of 27 points, and Anthony Edwards, who had 25 points but appeared hesitant despite taking 22 shots.
Today’s game is tough for big men, and this series isn’t doing their reputations any favors. The Lakers have effectively played without a true center for two consecutive games, while Gobert has been virtually absent in his role for Minnesota.
Lakers’ center Jaxson Hayes is prone to fouls—picking up five in just nine minutes of play on Tuesday—and doesn’t rebound or score well enough to warrant more time on the court. As a result, the Lakers opted for small-ball, a tactic enabled by Gobert’s lack of impact defensively. He’s not integral to the Wolves’ strategy, and when he did receive the ball, he fumbled passes and took only five shots.
This has given the Lakers a distinct advantage. Gobert faces a difficult matchup without a post player to defend against and is often drawn into switches where he finds himself trying to contain Dončić or James.
In Game 1, the Wolves overwhelmed the Lakers’ bench, outscoring them 43-13. At times, Minnesota’s reserves performed better than their starters. Indeed, their bench was a significant factor in the first game but faded in Game 2.
Naz Reid went from being unstoppable with 23 points to practically invisible, hampered by foul trouble that forced him to sit with three early fouls. He was held scoreless for three quarters and only hit one three-pointer after making six in Game 1.
The same can be said for Donte DiVincenzo, who shifted from bold in Game 1 to reckless in Game 2, committing four fouls and scoring only one basket in 16 minutes.
The Lakers scored 95 points in the first game and followed it up with 94 in the second. While scoring doesn’t automatically carry over from game to game, it’s reasonable to predict these two teams won’t be setting any offensive records based on their current trends.
Once Minnesota established the pace of the series in Game 1, the Lakers had no choice but to keep up. Considering the Lakers’ defensive struggles earlier in the season, they’ve made significant progress to reach Minnesota’s level.
“The focus was to play with more intensity and match their physical play,” said Austin Reaves.
In Game 2, the Wolves managed only 15 points in the first quarter, while the Lakers scored just 36 in the second half. Both teams struggled with shooting, hitting only 20% from three-point range, resulting in scoring slumps caused by poor execution and solid defensive efforts from each side.
The Lakers boast three playmakers in Reaves, Dončić, and James, whereas the Wolves rely solely on Edwards. This gives the Lakers an edge as the series heads to Minnesota. If an offensive surge occurs, LeBron anticipates it will come from the Lakers.
“We have room to improve offensively,” James noted. “I felt we had some excellent opportunities. If we keep getting those looks, I trust our shooting percentages.”
* * *
Shaun Powell has been covering the NBA for over 25 years. You can email him here, browse his archive here, and follow him on X.
The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of the NBA, its teams, or Warner Bros. Discovery.
