Luka Doncic lit up the scoreboard with 16 points in the first quarter of his playoff debut with the Los Angeles Lakers, electrifying the home crowd and sparking visions of a deep postseason run. But Minnesota quickly shattered that dream and left the Lakers searching for answers.
Despite Doncic finishing with 37 points and eight rebounds, the Timberwolves overwhelmed the Lakers with a dominant team performance, cruising to a 117-95 victory in Game 1 of their first-round series on Saturday night.
While Doncic delivered on the offensive end, he received little support. The Lakers faltered badly in their first postseason Game 1 at home in over a decade. Minnesota outmuscled and outpaced them throughout the game, exposing gaps in Los Angeles’ defense and exploiting their lack of offensive balance.
The Wolves built a lead as large as 27 points in the second half, effectively silencing the Lakers’ crowd and taking early control of the series. Though the two teams were separated by just one win in the regular season, Minnesota instantly stole homecourt advantage.
“They’re a high-level team,” said head coach JJ Redick after his first playoff game as a coach. “Our mindset was right, and the guys were mentally ready. But physically, we just didn’t hold up when they cranked up their pace and physicality.”
Minnesota’s physical style was apparent, even with Rudy Gobert playing limited minutes. A major factor in the blowout was the Timberwolves’ sharp shooting — they hit 21 of 42 shots from beyond the arc, a key to pulling away.
With Anthony Davis no longer in the lineup following a trade, the Lakers lacked a dominant presence in the paint, and Jaden McDaniels capitalized, scoring 25 points. Still, much of the Lakers’ struggles came on the perimeter, where defensive lapses allowed Minnesota to fire uncontested shots.
“We need to be more physical and defend the three better,” Doncic said. “They were getting open looks, pushing the pace, and we just didn’t respond.”
Though Doncic had a strong scoring night, he recorded just one assist — a rare dip for a player known for his playmaking. It was his lowest assist total since Game 1 of last year’s NBA Finals.
LeBron James, entering his 18th postseason, also struggled to find rhythm. He managed 19 points on just one three-pointer, along with three assists and five rebounds in 36 minutes. At 40 years old, James emphasized adjustments, particularly on defense.
“Our transition defense let us down,” he said. “We’ve done well all year in that area, but tonight we gave up too many fast-break points. You can’t do that against a team like Minnesota.”
The Timberwolves outscored the Lakers 25-0 in transition — a glaring stat that summed up Los Angeles’ inability to keep pace.
While the home crowd stayed engaged for much of the game, the growing deficit drained the energy in the arena. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards didn’t find the atmosphere intimidating either.
“This was easy for me,” Edwards said. “I’ve played in Denver — that’s a real challenge. This wasn’t.”
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is set for Tuesday night in Los Angeles, where the Lakers will try to regroup and avoid falling into a deeper hole.
