The Los Angeles Lakers secured a crucial 94-85 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night, leveling their Western Conference first-round playoff series. LeBron James flexed his muscle with a terrific game on both sides of the court, finishing with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Luka Doncic played a near flawless game, posting an incredible 31 point domination. His performance sparked the Lakers to an impressive bounce-back from their embarrassing Game 1 loss.
What a terrific way to play out such a great dramatic game! Only seven minutes into the contest, the Lakers opened up a double-digit lead in the first quarter. They built up an imposing lead, going ahead by as much as 22 points in the first half. They finished that span outscoring their opponents 58-43. The home team’s early momentum colored the rest of the match.
James didn’t just leave with the points he scored, though. He recorded a steal and executed a coast-to-coast layup, extending the Lakers’ lead to 92-81 with just 2:40 remaining in the game. His ability to drive to the basket proved critical as the Lakers maintained their lead amid pressure from the Timberwolves.
Doncic went off in the first quarter, scoring 16 of his 31 points. He further contributed in other areas, grabbing 12 boards and dishing out nine assists. His early scoring blitz kept the Kings on their heels and gave the Lakers the pace of play that they wanted. Doncic was sure of his team’s physicality and their level of focus going into the game.
“It was just a question of if we would be more physical or not, and I think we showed that,” – Luka Doncic
The Timberwolves, despite their loss, had standout performances from Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards, who scored 27 and 25 points, respectively. They could not find any level of reliable rhythm as they tried to come back from the bleak deficit created by the Lakers’ massive run. After a slow first half, Chris Finch, head coach of the Timberwolves, pointed to the disconnect on his team.
“We had some guys play well individually, but we didn’t connect the dots tonight,” – Chris Finch
Rui Hachimura proved to be an unlikely hero for the Lakers, knocking down 11 pivotal points. His contribution was especially important as the team looked to tie the series up following a disappointing Game 1 defeat. What JJ Redick picked up on as being key was the organization and execution the Lakers had all game.
“When we were organized in the right spots, we ran some good stuff; and frankly, I thought we missed some open threes,” – JJ Redick
