The Minnesota Timberwolves played their hearts out to get to the playoffs. They won it with a 103-96 win against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5. To actualize that achievement and continue their advancement in the postseason, the Timberwolves take this victory. The Lakers endure an early exit for the second year in a row.
Add in Rudy Gobert’s playoff career highs of 27 points and 24 rebounds alongside the victory and his impact on defense, and he was the obvious choice. His performance was incredibly striking. He had more points in this one game than he had in the previous four games of the series combined! Gobert’s dominance in the paint contributed significantly to the Timberwolves’ success, particularly as they jumped to a commanding 14-point lead in the first quarter.
Despite a slow start, the Lakers rallied behind Luka Doncic, who returned to the court wearing a large lower back brace just before the third quarter began. So it was Doncic’s late-game contributions — 28 points overall, nine assists — that helped get the Mavericks back to the brink. LeBron James of the Lakers hit 22 points. That’s especially true if he goes full unstoppable and proves his incredible resilience by returning to the game after limping off the court with an ankle injury. Rui Hachimura and Julius Randle were both superb, as well, combining for 46 points on 20-of-31 shooting.
The Timberwolves had a tough time the entire game, especially with their three-point shooting. Additionally, their performance from beyond the arc was miserable, as they went just 7-for-47 on 3-point shots. However, Mike Conley made a crucial 3-pointer with just 1:22 left on the clock, solidifying Minnesota’s lead and helping them hold off any potential comeback attempts from Los Angeles.
Dorian Finney-Smith was inserted into the starting lineup for Game 5 over Jaxson Hayes. That simple, strategic political decision paid off huge dividends for Minnesota. Despite the rising tension during the fourth quarter, the team never lost their cool and ultimately stuck to their overall game plan.
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