Rating Lakers Players vs. Timberwolves: LeBron Turns Back The Clock But Faces Disappointment

The Los Angeles Lakers entered Game 3 with the chance to seize control of their first-round series, but instead, they watched it slip away in the closing minutes, and now trail 2-1. Despite a valiant 38-point effort from LeBron James and a red-hot night from deep, the Lakers couldn’t overcome Luka Doncic’s illness, their own 19 turnovers, and Minnesota’s swarming defense down the stretch in a 116-104 loss Friday night in Minneapolis.

The Lakers, who had tied the game on a Doncic jumper with under five minutes left, were outscored 13-1 the rest of the way. As their offense stalled, their defense unraveled, and the Timberwolves pounced. Jaden McDaniels tormented L.A. on both ends, finishing with a playoff career-high 30 points and locking up a hobbled Doncic, who struggled to find space all night.

Austin Reaves added 20 points and five threes, and James caught fire in the fourth with three triples in four possessions. But with the game in the balance, L.A. faltered, LeBron missed his final four shots, including a wild corner attempt off the side of the backboard. 

Even with Julius Randle’s physical 22-point night and a barrage of three-pointers, the Lakers couldn’t mask their sloppiness or contain Minnesota’s relentless interior attack, getting outscored 56-26 in the paint.

Game 4 now becomes a must-win for the Lakers, who need more from Doncic, stomach bug or not, and far fewer mistakes to avoid going back to L.A. facing elimination. Let’s rate every Laker after a surprising performance on Friday night. 

LeBron James: A+

Stats: 38 PTS, 10 REB (3 OREB, 7 DREB), 4 AST, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO, 0 PF, 13-21 FG, 5-9 3PT, 7-10 FT, -10, 41 MIN

LeBron gave the Lakers everything he had in Game 3, erupting for 38 points on a blistering 13-of-21 shooting while knocking down five threes and grabbing 10 boards. He looked fresh and in command for most of the night, especially during a fourth-quarter scoring burst where he drilled three triples in quick succession. But as the offense collapsed late, even James couldn’t stop the bleeding, missing his final four shots, including a rushed corner three off the side of the backboard. Still, his elite efficiency and effort on both ends were unmatched, and the loss was far from his fault.

Austin Reaves: B

Stats: 20 PTS, 7 REB (1 OREB, 6 DREB), 4 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 4 TO, 3 PF, 7-18 FG, 5-11 3PT, 1-2 FT, -16, 41 MIN

Reaves provided timely shooting and solid secondary scoring, finishing with 20 points and five triples. He also added seven rebounds and four assists in 41 minutes of action. While his perimeter shot was reliable, his decision-making faltered at times, leading to four turnovers. Defensively, he struggled to contain Minnesota’s wings, and his -16 plus-minus reflected the Lakers’ second-unit issues when James sat. Overall, Reaves brought good energy and floor-spacing, but not enough poise down the stretch.

Luka Doncic: C+

Stats: 17 PTS, 7 REB (0 OREB, 7 DREB), 8 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 5 TO, 3 PF, 6-16 FG, 2-8 3PT, 3-4 FT, -16, 40 MIN

Fighting through a stomach bug, Doncic was visibly off his game. Though he managed 17 points, seven boards, and eight assists, he shot just 6-of-16 from the field and committed five turnovers. His usually elite court vision looked a step slower, and his body language suggested discomfort all night. While his illness is a valid excuse, the Lakers needed a steadier presence from their lead ballhandler in crunch time, where Doncic struggled to create separation and didn’t register a single point in the final five minutes.

Dorian Finney-Smith: C+

Stats: 8 PTS, 1 REB (1 OREB, 0 DREB), 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TO, 3 PF, 3-6 FG, 2-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, +3, 29 MIN

Finney-Smith was a mixed bag. Offensively, he was efficient in limited touches, hitting two of four threes and finishing with eight points. His defensive versatility was helpful early on, but he faded as the game wore on. With just one rebound and two turnovers, he didn’t provide his usual toughness on the glass or defensive playmaking. A +3 plus-minus suggests he wasn’t part of the problem, but the Lakers could’ve used more grit from him in the trenches.

Rui Hachimura: C+

Stats: 8 PTS, 4 REB (0 OREB, 4 DREB), 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 3 TO, 5 PF, 3-7 FG, 2-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, -19, 38 MIN

Rui Hachimura looked engaged and aggressive at times, scoring eight points with a couple of threes and contributing defensively with a steal and a block. But his inconsistency reared its head, three turnovers and five fouls put the Lakers in tough spots, and he was frequently outmuscled in the paint. Despite playing 38 minutes, Rui didn’t leave a strong imprint on the game and was part of the group overwhelmed during Minnesota’s decisive late-game run.

Jarred Vanderbilt: C

Stats: 3 PTS, 5 REB (0 OREB, 5 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 5 PF, 1-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 1-2 FT, +5, 13 MIN

Vanderbilt brought his usual defensive energy and chipped in five rebounds in just 13 minutes, but he struggled to stay on the floor due to foul trouble. Offensively, he was non-existent aside from a single bucket and a split trip at the line. While his presence gave the Lakers some early juice, the lack of discipline defensively and inability to impact the offensive glass made him a limited factor.

Gabe Vincent: C

Stats: 5 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 1 PF, 2-3 FG, 1-2 3PT, 0-0 FT, -3, 16 MIN

Vincent played 16 minutes off the bench and was efficient in a small role, scoring five points on 2-of-3 shooting. He added a lone assist but was otherwise quiet. Though he didn’t commit any turnovers or make major mistakes, he also didn’t provide much ball pressure or shot creation, two things L.A. sorely needed as their offense broke down late.

Jordan Goodwin

Stats: 3 PTS, 2 REB (1 OREB, 1 DREB), 0 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 0 TO, 2 PF, 1-3 FG, 0-1 3PT, 1-2 FT, +9, 12 MIN

Goodwin’s 12 minutes were scrappy and productive. He brought physicality on defense, recording a steal and a block while also collecting two boards and scoring three points. His +9 plus-minus was one of the few positives on the bench, thanks in large part to his willingness to mix it up defensively. While limited offensively, his toughness and energy earned him another look in Game 4.

Jaxson Hayes: N/A

Stats: 2 PTS, 1 REB (1 OREB, 0 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 1 PF, 1-2 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -13, 9 MIN

Hayes played nine minutes and contributed two points and a rebound, but his defensive positioning was shaky, and Minnesota repeatedly attacked him in the paint. He brought hustle, but his -13 plus-minus in such limited minutes underscored how much the Lakers struggled with rim protection when he was on the floor.

Alex Len: N/A

Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB (0 OREB, 0 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 0, 1 MIN

Len played just one minute and did not register any stats. He was inserted briefly in the second quarter but wasn’t part of the regular rotation.

Shake Milton: N/A

Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB (0 OREB, 0 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 0, 1 MIN

Milton also received only a single minute of action, not enough to leave any kind of impact. He remains a deep bench option unless injuries or foul trouble force a rotation shakeup.

Bronny James: N/A

Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB (0 OREB, 0 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 0, 1 MIN

Bronny made his playoff debut with one minute of garbage time action. He didn’t log a stat but got his first taste of postseason basketball. The moment wasn’t too big, but he’s not yet ready for meaningful rotation minutes.

Dalton Knecht: N/A

Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB (0 OREB, 0 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, 0, 1 MIN

Knecht had a brief appearance late in the game and missed his lone shot attempt. His spacing and movement could be helpful in future matchups, but he wasn’t given the opportunity to showcase much here.