Lakers win a physically demanding Game 2 to ever series with Timberwolves

Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times on Apr 23, 2025

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The only thing that moved slower than the Lakers was the clock.

They had poured their energy into fighting for everything while building a lead that stretched to 22 in the first half and lived at 20 deep into the second half. They had grabbed and clawed and got clawed and got grabbed and it was still there, a big lead, the Timberwolves and the clock left to beat to even the series at 1-1 and save a split on their homecourt.

But Minnesota got stronger. They got faster. They got smarter. And the Lakers, mentally and physically got slower.

Two big mistakes from Jaxson Hayes led to five fast Minnesota points. Luka Doncic, who had been fully engaged on the defensive side of the ball, certainly by his reputation standards, was flat-footed as Anthony Edwards rammed into the paint. Wide open threes rimmed out.

And the kind of two-on-one fastbreak with Austin Reaves and LeBron James that usually would be an alley-oop became an alley-oops when Reaves threw the ball too high and James didn’t even bother to dunk. And instead of a highlight two points, James missed the layup.

But the clock kept ticking. And the Lakers kept fighting, drawing enough charges, grabbing enough rebounds, scoring enough (barely) to beat Minnesota, 94-85.

If Game 1 showed that the Lakers’ standing as heavy favorites in the series was wrong, Game 2 showed that whatever comes next might leave scars.

After challenging his team to meet Minnesota’s intensity and physicality, the two teams ripped and reached and held and hammered while they played like each possession would determine who would win and who would lose.

The all capital, bolded-letter story from the first quarter of the Lakers’ playoffs Saturday was Luka Doncic showing why he’s one of the NBA’s most gifted difference-makers. He can be a one-man show, too hard for any one player to stop, too skilled to be denied.

But it was singular.

The Lakers’ excellence? It needed to plural.

The playoffs would demand more than Doncic getting buckets. It would require James sharply cutting into the paint to create extra space. It would need Reaves to fight like hell for every step on the defensive end of the court.

It doesn’t work the other way. It didn’t work when it was that way in Game 1.

So Tuesday night, facing the first unofficial “must-win” of their playoff lives, the Lakers played in unison early, even if Doncic was the only one really hitting shots.

And while Doncic was able to create the same kind of mismatch advantages that he’ll be able to against anyone, the Lakers found themselves totally stifled by Minnesota’s defense.

Doncic scored 31, James had 21 and Reaves scored 16, but the Lakers shot just 20.7% from three. Luckily, Minnesota wasn’t any better – getting 42 combined from Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards but not more than nine from anyone else.

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