The Los Angeles Lakers saw their season come to a disappointing end Wednesday night, falling 103-96 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 and bowing out in the first round for the second straight postseason. Despite strong efforts from Luka Doncic, who tallied 28 points and nine assists, and LeBron James, who contributed 22 points, the Lakers couldn’t overcome their glaring weaknesses, particularly on the defensive glass and in the paint, as Rudy Gobert punished them with a playoff career-high 27 points and 24 rebounds.
Playing without a true center for much of the night, L.A. simply had no answer for Minnesota’s size and physicality. Rui Hachimura provided one of the few bright spots, scoring 23 points and keeping the Lakers afloat during stretches when the offense stalled.
But beyond their stars, Los Angeles struggled to generate consistent production. Their perimeter shooting cooled off at the worst time, and defensively, they couldn’t capitalize on Minnesota’s historically poor 3-point performance (7-for-47).
Even as the Timberwolves missed 17 consecutive threes at one point, the Lakers failed to seize control, often giving up second-chance points and momentum-killing putbacks to Gobert and Julius Randle.
For a franchise that retooled midseason in a blockbuster trade for Doncic, this early exit stings deeply. It marks the fourth time in five seasons since their 2020 title that L.A. has failed to advance past the opening round. Questions will now swirl about the supporting cast around Doncic and LeBron, the team’s lack of interior defense, and whether this version of the Lakers’ Big Four, Doncic, LeBron, Austin Reaves, and Hachimura, has the balance to contend in a loaded Western Conference.
As they head into another pivotal offseason, the pressure is once again squarely on the Lakers’ front office to find answers. Regardless of what happens, let’s provide a rating for every Laker in a disappointing Wednesday night performance.
Luka Doncic: A
Stats: 28 PTS, 7 REB (0 OREB, 7 DREB), 9 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 4 PF, 7-18 FG, 2-8 3PT, 12-15 FT, -5, 40 MIN
Doncic did everything he could to keep L.A. alive, scoring 28 points and dishing out nine assists while relentlessly attacking the rim to earn 15 free throws. However, his 2-for-8 clip from deep and the Lakers’ overall failure to control the glass undercut his otherwise strong performance. It was not the way Luka expected the season to end in his first stint with the Purple and Gold.
LeBron James: A
Stats: 22 PTS, 7 REB (2 OREB, 5 DREB), 6 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 2 PF, 9-21 FG, 1-5 3PT, 3-6 FT, -14, 40 MIN
LeBron James battled hard with 22 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, showing flashes of dominance despite facing constant double teams and heavy minutes at age 39. But like Doncic, he couldn’t drag an outgunned supporting cast over the finish line. The King has started showing his age a little more than we would have imagined, leaving his future slightly in doubt for next season.
Rui Hachimura: A
Stats: 23 PTS, 4 REB (3 OREB, 1 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF, 9-16 FG, 5-8 3PT, 0-0 FT, -12, 39 MIN
Hachimura was L.A.’s best surprise of the night, staying hot from outside (5-for-8 from three) and bringing energy on the offensive glass with three boards. His 23 points were vital in keeping the Lakers competitive, but he didn’t get enough help from the rest of the bench. JJ Redick can at least be at ease knowing Rui can contribute on this title-contending roster moving forward.
Austin Reaves: C
Stats: 12 PTS, 5 REB (1 OREB, 4 DREB), 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 6 TO, 4 PF, 5-14 FG, 2-10 3PT, 0-0 FT, -9, 41 MIN
Austin Reaves struggled badly with his shot, going just 5-for-14 and an icy 2-for-10 from deep, while his six turnovers were momentum killers. He battled on the boards and played hard, but this was a flat night from someone the Lakers needed to step up. Reaves was more than solid for most of the series, but this wasn’t his night at all.
Dorian Finney-Smith: C
Stats: 7 PTS, 4 REB (1 OREB, 3 DREB), 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 6 PF, 3-5 FG, 1-3 3PT, 0-0 FT, -2, 29 MIN
Finney-Smith was solid but unspectacular, chipping in seven points and playing physical defense, though he racked up six fouls and couldn’t make much of a dent on the boards. His perimeter defense was useful, but he wasn’t a difference-maker by any means.
Jarred Vanderbilt: C
Stats: 2 PTS, 7 REB (1 OREB, 6 DREB), 3 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 3 PF, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 2-2 FT, +3, 19 MIN
Vanderbilt provided some hustle with seven rebounds and three assists in his 19 minutes, and his +3 was the best plus-minus among the starters. However, his lack of offensive threat (zero field goals made) allowed Minnesota to ignore him at times and pack the paint.
Gabe Vincent: D
Stats: 0 PTS, 3 REB (0 OREB, 3 DREB), 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 3 PF, 0-2 FG, 0-2 3PT, 0-0 FT, +5, 26 MIN
Vincent’s rough postseason continued, as he failed to score and missed both his three-point attempts, offering little floor spacing or offensive spark. Though he had a +5 in the box score, his minimal impact over 26 minutes was glaring in such a pivotal game.
Maxi Kleber: N/A
Stats: 2 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, 2-2 FT, -1, 5 MIN
Kleber played only five minutes and didn’t register a field goal, with his two free throws accounting for his only points. His brief appearance didn’t move the needle in either direction before he was benched for the rest of the night.
