The Los Angeles Lakers were soundly beaten by the Minnesota Timberwolves, 117–95, in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series — and now face the urgent challenge of bouncing back before Tuesday’s Game 2 at Crypto.com Arena.
Despite the presence of LeBron James, the league’s all-time leading scorer, and a focused pregame mindset, the Lakers were outclassed in nearly every area. Coach JJ Redick noted that while the team may have been mentally prepared, their physical readiness was lacking.
“I thought our spirit was right,” Redick said. “I’m not sure physically we were ready. When [Minnesota] started playing with a lot of thrust and physicality, we just didn’t respond.”
The numbers backed that up. Minnesota outscored the Lakers 44–32 in the paint, had 23 second-chance points, and won the rebounding battle 33–25. The Timberwolves also dominated in transition, scoring 25 fastbreak points to the Lakers’ six.
Jarred Vanderbilt stressed the need to match Minnesota’s physicality moving forward. “We’ve got to be the aggressor,” he said. “We’ve just got to match that physicality.”
Defensive focus will be crucial if the Lakers want to even the series. Minnesota shot 50% from three-point range, going 21-of-42. Limiting those open looks will be key, along with tightening up rebounding and paint defense.
Another issue? The Timberwolves’ depth. While Anthony Edwards had just eight points in the first half, Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid stepped up — combining for 38 of Minnesota’s 60 first-half points. McDaniels finished with 25 points, while Reid added 21 off the bench, shooting a combined 19-for-25 and 9-for-12 from deep.
Redick acknowledged before the series that Minnesota was a complete team. Now, the Lakers have seen that firsthand. The question isn’t what needs fixing — they know that. The question is whether they can actually make those adjustments in time.
