The Los Angeles Lakers have been red hot this season and they were eager to continue their streak against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night. In a sold-out crowd at the Crypto.com arena, Lakers fans watched on as the Purple and Gold survived a battle against steep competition for their fourth straight win.
The Lakers came out and set the tone early in the first quarter, storming to a massive lead that ballooned to 17 after the first 12 minutes. That early momentum carried them through most of the game, but the Timberwolves hung around until the fourth quarter when they made a last push to take control. In the end, despite 29 fourth-quarter points, Minnesota lost the game by nine (111-102) as they were unable to recover after Anthony Edwards was ejected.
For Los Angeles, LeBron James was the MVP of the night with 33 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists on 52.4% shooting. In a rough shooting performance, Luka Doncic still managed to score 21 points along with 13 rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes. Austin Reaves contributed 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists on 50% shooting.
Terrence Shannon Jr. was the hero for the Timberwolves with 25 points, five rebounds, and two assists in some key plays down the stretch. Anthony Edwards, who was ejected after 26 minutes, finished with just 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists on 50% shooting. Finally, Jaden McDaniels had 15 points for the Wolves along with eight rebounds and one assist in 37 minutes.
The Lakers have been a top-six team in the West all season long, and they passed yet another test against a young and scrappy Timberwolves squad. Despite rough shooting from Luka Doncic, the Lakers kept their lead and proved once again why they are among the league’s title contenders this year.
LeBron James Saves The Day
As Luka was struggling with his shot (once again), the Lakers desperately needed a boost to get the win on their home court. As usual, it was LeBron James who answered the call with another stellar performance at 40 years old.
In 37 minutes, James dropped 31 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists on 11-21 shooting. He went 4-9 from three and 5-8 from the free-throw line. James was the steady hand for the Lakers all night long and put the game on ice with key plays down the stretch.
This may be Luka Doncic’s team, but LeBron James has been their best player this season. When he’s off the floor, the Lakers look lost and lack guidance, but the moment he steps in everything settles down and the team plays with much more confidence.
Elite Free Throw Merchants
The Lakers didn’t shoot entirely well and their defense collapsed down the stretch of the game. What ultimately made the difference was points at the charity stripe, which the Lakers won by a fairly wide margin.
The Timberwolves went 20-26 from the line and they barely cracked 100 points. The Lakers, meanwhile, had 33 free throws and could have had even more had they shot higher than 69.6%.
If there’s one thing the Lakers are good at, it’s getting to the free-throw line. Whether it’s LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, or someone else on the roster, they are always looking to draw the foul so they can get to the line and it’s a strategy that works more often than not.
Defense Is Legit
The Lakers may have lost their All-Star big man, but they are playing some of the best defense ever in the LeBron James era. They are ranked as the top defensive team since early January thanks to JJ Redick’s game plan, which involves giving up open threes to clog the paint.
The result has been a Lakers squad that is both dominant on defense and a beast on the boards. Tonight, they held the Timberwolves to 41% shooting and limited Anthony Edwards to 18 points before he got ejected in the second half.
It remains to be seen if this defense is sustainable for the NBA playoffs but JJ Redick may have found something with the way he has the Lakers guarding the perimeter. Either way, as winners of 16 in their last 20 games, the Lakers are doing something right and they have no plans to slow down now.
As the 2025 playoffs approach, the new-look Lakers will be working harder than ever to perfect their team and build seamless chemistry for their newest arrivals. Clearly, it’s still a work in progress with Luka Doncic but the Lakers are in such a groove right now that they are still winning amid his ongoing struggles.
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