The Los Angeles Lakers were lit up from beyond the arc in Game 1 of their first-round matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the numbers behind the Timberwolves’ three-point barrage are damning.
According to Keith Smith, Minnesota shot 21-of-42 from deep—a scorching 50%—but what’s more shocking is the quality of looks they got: 27 were classified as wide open, 15 as open, and zero were contested.
That means the Timberwolves didn’t just get hot from three, they were allowed to get comfortable. The Lakers’ perimeter defense was non-existent, and their collapse on nearly every drive led to open looks everywhere, particularly in the corners, where shooters like Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker feasted.
The root of the Lakers’ defensive breakdowns came from overhelping on drives. With Anthony Edwards and Mike Conley attacking the paint, the Lakers collapsed heavily, often sending multiple defenders toward the ball.
But rather than rotating crisply or closing out with urgency, they left shooters completely unguarded. The Wolves moved the ball well, and with the Lakers in scramble mode for most of the game, nearly every three-point attempt was taken in rhythm.
A lot of this starts at the point of attack. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were both repeatedly blown by, and once penetration happened, the dominoes fell. The low man helped, the wing rotated late, and Minnesota found an open shooter in the corner. Rinse and repeat.
Defenders lost track of assignments, failed to close out, or simply gambled too much. In the first quarter alone, the Timberwolves knocked down six wide-open threes and set the tone for the rest of the night. The Lakers allowed 117 points in total, but it’s the 63 points off threes that doomed them.
Even worse, this wasn’t some outlier hot-shooting game by Minnesota. These were high-quality looks created against soft, hesitant defense. The Lakers can’t just hope the Timberwolves cool off, they have to take those shots away. And that means more ball pressure, better screen navigation, and smarter help defense.
The communication also needs to improve. Too often, Lakers defenders were caught in no man’s land, not knowing whether to fully help or stay on the shooter.
That confusion led to multiple possessions where three defenders chased the ball while two shooters stood wide open. In playoff basketball, that’s a recipe for disaster.
It’s clear the Lakers’ game plan was to prioritize paint defense and prevent Edwards from exploding downhill. But in doing so, they abandoned the three-point line. The Timberwolves gladly took what they were given and made them pay.
If the Lakers don’t drastically tighten up their perimeter defense, this series could be over before it even starts. The number “42” won’t just haunt them, it’ll end their season.
Expect adjustments in Game 2, especially in terms of switching, help discipline, and closing out. Because one thing’s certain: If they allow 42 open threes again, they’ll be packing for Cancun sooner than expected.
