Picture this — the Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for their impending playoff run. Next up for them is a first round match-up against the Minnesota Timberwolves, surely another game that will light up social media. As the third seed, the Lakers will open Game 1 at home next weekend. They finished the full regular season with a remarkable 49-33 record. The Timberwolves ended up claiming the sixth seed in the playoffs. They tied the Lakers’ record but lost the tie-breaker on account of them having one less win.
Each team comes into the postseason on strong ground, with the Lakers armed with a little more recent history against the Timberwolves. The two teams met twice this regular season, each team taking a game from the other. The Lakers snapped their skid against the Timberwolves on February 27, defeating them at home 111-102.
Providing more than a little excitement for the Lakers is first-year guard Luka Doncic, acquired in a trade earlier this year. He’s become a key force for the Grizz in the playoffs, stepping up in the series vs the Timberwolves. His already mind-boggling averages of 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 2.2 steals. Doncic’s rookie-ish performance—not looking like a rookie at all—won him the series MVP honors in that playoff round.
The Timberwolves’ young core is anchored by 23-year-old All-Star Anthony Edwards—who does have eligibility remaining—finished an outstanding season, averaging 27.4 ppg. He finished the season with the league lead in made threes at a remarkable 320 threes in just 79 games played. This gaudy offensive prowess helped push the Timberwolves to having the league’s eighth-best offense, scoring 115.7 points per 100 possessions.
Minnesota has been as sound as it gets, ranking top ten in defensive rating and 110.8 opponent PPP (fifth-best in the league). That mix of firepower and perimeter defense makes the Timberwolves a tough match up for the Lakers.
The Lakers are preparing for their Western Conference playoff series. They’ll enjoy a day off on Monday, and then convene in D.C. for a Tuesday afternoon rehearsal. Following their practice, the team plans to watch the play-in tournament matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies.
In preparation for their upcoming games, JJ Redick shared insights on the team’s approach:
“It’s not necessarily going to be everything at once this week. We’ll have to slow drip, and I think that’s the approach that I think is going to work best for our group.” – JJ Redick
The Lakers and Timberwolves will look to capitalize on their strengths and secure an early advantage in this playoff series. With both teams having shown competitive spirit throughout the regular season, fans can expect an exciting matchup that showcases top-tier basketball talent.
Leave a Reply