In game 2 of the Western Conference first round, the Los Angeles Lakers were looking to set things right and even up the series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. After an embarrassing showing on Saturday, head coach JJ Redick did everything to prepare his team, and it showed with several major adjustments and nearly perfect execution on the floor.
Game 2 began with a 34-15 attack by the Lakers, who built up a 15-point lead by halftime. At several points throughout the game, the Timberwolves tried to make a comeback with a momentum-shifting run, but they could not close the gap, and the Lakers ended up with the nine-point win (94-85).
Luka Doncic was the leading scorer for both teams with 31 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists on 45.0% shooting. In 33 minutes, LeBron James dropped 21 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists on 42.1% shooting while Austin Reaves totaled 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists on 50% shooting.
For the Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards put up an admirable effort in the loss with 25 points and six rebounds on 45.5% shooting. Julius Randle tallied 27 points, four rebounds, and one assist, while Jaden McDaniels finished with eight points, four rebounds, and one assist on 27.3% shooting.
With star power, depth, and versatility on both sides, we knew this series was going to be a classic between the Lakers and Timberwolves. After two wildly different results in the inaugural home games, nobody is sure what to expect, but the Lakers saw some encouraging signs tonight that reflect well on their chances to advance.
Lakers Win Clash Of Stars
The NBA is a star-driven league, and oftentimes the final results come down to which stars outplay the others. In Game 1, it was a balanced scoring spread for Minnesota, but Anthony Edwards made all the big shots whenever his team needed them.
Tonight, despite 25 points from Edwards (along with 27 from his co-star Julius Randle), the Timberwolves were outplayed by the Lakers’ elite star tandem, and it may be what decided the game. With 31 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists, Doncic was the best player on the floor tonight, and the Lakers were better for it.
While LeBron James didn’t shoot the ball well (21 points on 42.1% shooting), he was able to contribute in other ways that helped the Lakers win the game. Between his contributions (11 rebounds, nine assists, and one steal) and the scoring of Luka Doncic, the Lakers were able to maintain a steady separation from their opponents all night long until the final buzzer finally sounded at the end of the fourth quarter.
Defensive Masterpiece Kept Wolves In Check
The Lakers were playing lifelessly in the loss on Saturday, and their defense had no answers to anything the Timberwolves were running. After some preparation and adjustments from JJ Redick, however, the Lakers were able to tweak their approach, and it resulted in a dominant defensive performance.
The Timberwolves’ 85-point final score tonight is the lowest of the NBA playoffs so far, and one of the lowest-scoring games of the season for Minnesota. They shot just 38.0% for the game (30-79) and 20.0% from three (5-25) in a nightmarish shooting night. Edwards and Randle were the only two Timberwolves to score in double figures.
The trick for the Lakers was embracing the Timberwolves’ physicality and using zone defense to disrupt Anthony Edwards’ flow. Ant admitted after the buzzer that the defensive strategy was a major challenge for him, and it’ll only get worse for the rest of the series if he doesn’t find a way to respond in Game 3.
Ball Movement Created Smooth Offense
Since Luka Doncic has been running the show, the Lakers have made it a point to get everybody involved with a balanced scoring spread. While inconsistency is common among the role-players, their ball movement and team-first play style helped to maximize opportunities for everyone.
Tonight’s win was another example of the Lakers’ superior ball movement serving to their advantage. They finished with 23 assists in the game, with nine coming from Doncic alone. The smart passing and good chemistry resulted in a lot of good looks for the Lakers and helped them offset what would have otherwise been another bad shooting night.
Coach Redick, tightening his playoff rotation,n tells us that he has a very specific plan for how he wants to play this series. To combat their size and strength, Redick wants to outrun and outshoot their opponent, and that means they’ll have to run a smooth and efficient offense with frequent ball movement so that every Lakers rotation player can get involved.
Third in the West, the Lakers are favored to win this series, but it’s not going to be easy by any stretch. We saw in the first game how dangerous the Wolves can be when everything’s clicking, and only a team that can thrive on both ends of the court is going to send them home early this year.Â
