Minnesota ends LA’s season
in 5-game shocker despite being huge underdogs going into the
series
The Minnesota Timberwolves
weren’t supposed to be here.
According to ESPN’s panel of 10
analysts, not one picked them to win their first-round series
against the Los Angeles Lakers. Most had the Lakers in five, six,
or seven games. On paper, the Timberwolves were outmatched: LeBron
James and Luka Doncic led a top-heavy but star-studded Lakers team
expected to steamroll their way to the second round.
Instead, Minnesota didn’t just
win the series – they dominated it. Minnesota capitalized on team
chemistry and strategic execution to control the series.
The Timberwolves’ victories were
marked by consistent performances:
- Game
1: 117–95 win in Los
Angeles - Game
3: 116–104 win in
Minnesota - Game
4: 116–113 win in
Minnesota - Game
5: 103–96 win in Los
Angeles
Their only loss came in Game 2,
a 94–85 defeat.
The Timberwolves dismantled the
Lakers in five games, closing them out with a tough Game 5 win on
the road. Minnesota outplayed Los Angeles in every area of the
game: they were quicker in transition, stronger on the glass,
sharper in their sets, and more connected defensively. It was a
comprehensive, no-doubt-about-it series win — the kind that turns
skeptics into believers.
“Nobody picked us. We saw everything.”
That’s what Anthony Edwards said
after Game 5, and he wasn’t exaggerating. The Timberwolves were
largely disrespected in national discourse heading into the
playoffs, viewed as a feel-good story after an up-and-down regular
season rather than a real threat. But inside the locker room, that
doubt was fuel. The Timberwolves took it personally, and they
responded with purpose.
In five games, the Timberwolves
held the Lakers to just 103.2 points per game, the second-lowest
mark of any team in the first round. They crushed them on the
boards (+8.4 per game), generated more fastbreak points (+6.6 per
game), and executed cleaner offensive sets, often using
misdirection to manipulate LA’s defense and create clean
looks.
Minnesota’s identity – defensive
toughness, ball movement, and unselfish play – never wavered. And
it overwhelmed a Laker team that relied too heavily on isolation
from LeBron and Luka.
Julius Randle flips the narrative
No Timberwolf had more to prove
entering this postseason than Julius Randle.
Traded for Karl-Anthony Towns at
the deadline, Randle arrived in Minnesota with a cloud of playoff
failure hovering over him. His previous stints with the Knicks were
marred by inefficient scoring and defensive lapses. But this time,
the moment didn’t swallow him.
Randle was tremendous throughout
the series, averaging 22.6 points and 7.8 rebounds on 49% shooting.
He scored 20+ points in four of the five games and was particularly
vital when Edwards got blitzed in pick-and-rolls or trapped off the
catch. He became Minnesota’s release valve — someone who could
isolate against mismatches, hit midrange shots, and punish
switches.
In Game 5, Randle posted 23
points and 5 boards, matching the Lakers’ physicality and
responding to every mini-run with a tough bucket. It was a
performance that not only helped close the door on LA but also
redefined how people talk about him as a playoff
performer.
Jaden McDaniels: From role player to a solid 3rd
option
Jaden McDaniels has always been
known for his defense. But in this series, he showed off the other
side of his game.
McDaniels averaged 17.4 points
in the five games – a significant jump from his regular-season
average of 10.1. His 30-point outburst in Game 3 was the breakout
moment, but it was the consistency that stood out more. He hit
spot-up threes, attacked closeouts, and even created off the
dribble when needed.
Defensively, he was the primary
Luka Doncic defender in most matchups and made life difficult for
the 26-year-old superstar. McDaniels’ ability to be a two-way
presence gives Minnesota a third dynamic option – something every
championship team needs.
The bench unit made its mark and proved
itself
Minnesota’s bench unit,
featuring Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker
– arguably the best in the league – came through for
Minnesota.
Reid, DiVincenzo, and
Alexander-Walker formed the best second unit in the series — and
perhaps in the league. Reid chipped in 11.6 points per game in all
5 games off the bench, providing floor spacing and physicality as
the backup big. DiVincenzo, the 2022 NBA champion, brought his
usual defensive energy, three-point shooting, and smart cuts, while
Alexander-Walker hit timely shots and proved to be an elite on-ball
defender.
All three could start for most
NBA teams. Together, they gave Minnesota an edge that the Lakers
simply couldn’t match when their stars sat. Their collective impact
underscored the Timberwolves’ depth and resilience, and together
with veteran starter Mike Conley (who also hit a big shot late in
Game 5), the Timberwolves ended up winning the series.
Gobert finds his moment
Rudy Gobert was quiet in the
first four games of the series, which was borderline ineffective at
times.
But in Game 5, with Edwards
struggling and LA blitzing every ball screen, Gobert reminded
everyone why Minnesota traded for him. He finished with 27 points,
21 rebounds, and three blocks on 11-of-13 shooting. It was his best
playoff performance in years, and it couldn’t have come at a better
time.
Gobert’s physicality in the
paint overwhelmed the Lakers’ smaller frontcourt, and his offensive
rebounding (eight) created second-chance opportunities that swung
the game. While he may not be the focal point every night, this was
a reminder that when locked in and depending on matchups, he can
still change games.
Anthony Edwards, the flamboyant superstar
Even with a 0-for-11 night from
three in Game 5, Anthony Edwards was the best player in the
series.
He averaged 26.8 points, 8.4
rebounds, and 6.2 assists – but stats don’t tell the whole story.
He controlled the tempo, made the right reads when doubled, and
never let the moment get too big. His Game 4 masterpiece — 43
points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists on the road – was the most dominant
single performance of the series.
This wasn’t just a great young
player having a good stretch. This was a future face-of-the-league
moment. In a series featuring LeBron James and Luka Doncic, Edwards
looked like the best player on the floor. The passing of the torch
isn’t always clean or scripted. But it felt like it happened here.
Edwards, over his last 2 playoff runs, has knocked out Kevin
Durant, Devin Booker, Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, and Luka Doncic.
Now that’s an impressive playoff resume at just 23 years old, and
he’s likely going to add more in the years to come.
– – –
Beating the Lakers wasn’t just
about advancing to the next round. It was about validation. It was
about shedding the underdog label. It was about proving that this
Timberwolves team isn’t some overachieving feel-good story –
they’re a legitimate contender that can go deep into the playoffs
this season.
Minnesota’s identity is strong,
their chemistry is undeniable, and their defense travels. With
Edwards emerging, Randle stepping up, McDaniels evolving, and the
bench thriving, the Timberwolves just sent a loud howl to the rest
of the NBA.
