2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West First Round: #3 LA Lakers vs #6 Minnesota Timberwolves (MIN leads 3-1)

[Jta444]

I predicted Wolves in five at the outset, and the series is playing out that way.

It was clear after the Luka deal that the Lakers were short on size and depth, so a true title push was never in the cards.

And expecting a 40-year-old logging 46 minutes to single-handedly drag his team to victory—something none of his peers at that age have ever been asked to do—is simply unrealistic. But trolls will troll.

Not our fault he’s still stuck at 4 championships hence he still needs to play at 40.

Jordan wasn’t playing for anything anymore at that age, he already got not 1 but 2 three peats in his career, nothing left to prove at that point unlike Bron who surely wants one more.

lol. Jordan came back and couldnt hang anymore, wdym? If he was capable of playing at 40 as a superstar, he woulda kept playing

He didn’t have as much motivation anymore. These guys are human, and motivation is a thing. Why would Jordan play hard and try his hardest to hang when he was already called the GOAT by then? (He was called the GOAT as soon as his 1st three peat actually)

It’s not farfetched to say Lebron is more motivated at 40 than Jordan because he wants to win at least one more because a lot of fans and media still say Jordan is better.

Sometimes I pity Lebron man, he looks so old out there, but I do get it he wanna catch Jordan i admire the resilience lol.

[Wolfgang630]

ESPN propaganda machine is dying inside.

[Mamba Mentality]

I don’t even care if the trip on McDaniels was a foul, it’s on JJ for not gettting a screener out there to relieve some of the ball pressure. Every team in the league knows how to combat full court pressure but for whatever reason JJ refused to make that minor adjustment.

All in all I thought the officiating was more than fair today. People that keep harping on the same **** need to get another hobby.

[guest81]

supposed to anyways. had a guy barrel over derrick white the other night and didn’t add it lmao

Are coaches able to expand on the rule and challenge a random moving screen or a trip/push away from the ball?

I don’t think so…but I also didn’t know they could add fouls til the other night

It's the Jaden McDaniels rule made from last year's wcf

[Tracymcgoaty]

We weren't going anywhere with this squad anyway.

Everyone not named Lebron or luka should be on the trade table.

DFS
Rui
Lebron
Luka
Gabe

AR is the highest trade value even though this series probably tanked the **** out of it. Rob has decisions to make.

Reaves is a quality player. There are a lot of reactionary Laker fans.

No it's not reactionary. We dont need a 3rd creator on the starting unit when we've got Luka and Lebron. If we could trade Reaves and get a two way wing it would fit the team much better. AR is good in the regular season. Really good. Playoffs he'll get exposed because he cant gain the refs in the same way. This team needs players fitting around Luka. Ar doesn't do that.

We need to get bigger and more athleticism.

[Tyrone Messby]

LeBron going to get JJ fired in the offseason?

[KGdaBom]

OKC will push their **** in against the Wolves if the Wolves get that far.

Beatable? Sure, but not by the TWolves in a 7 game series unless OKC is missing their best players which doesn't seem to be the case as of now. The Cavs and Celtics are the only teams capable of beating OKC in a 7 game series this season.

You underestimate how formidable the Wolves are. Deep. Deep. DEEP. The supporting cast didn't step up tonight, but they usually do and when they do the Wolves are almost unbeatable.

And you're underestimating how good OKC is. And OKC is just as deep or deeper. This isn't even a debate.

If you think the Wolves have a real shot against the Thunder I have a bridge to sell you. Hope you have some money on the Wolves making it to the finals because the pay out has to be rather large. That's how much of a long shot it is.

OKC is very formidable. I'm not underestimating that at all. However, the Wolves have been rolling for a long time now and might be ready for OKC.

[MasterIchiro]

Edwards is playing determined basketball. He has that same look of determination in his eyes that MJ had in the playoffs.

I think the Lakers are in trouble.

[Patches Perry]

I will say this is one of those deceptive 3-1 leads, where the road team is up. Lakers will be favored in 2 of the 3 potential remaining games. If Minnesota lets their foot off the gas in game 5 and loses, suddenly game 6 becomes criticial to avoid going back to LA tied for game 7 (where the Lakers would be favored).

Wolves need to be greedy and come out early in game 5 with a strong punch to put this thing away.

[durden_tyler]

I don’t even care if the trip on McDaniels was a foul, it’s on JJ for not gettting a screener out there to relieve some of the ball pressure. Every team in the league knows how to combat full court pressure but for whatever reason JJ refused to make that minor adjustment.

All in all I thought the officiating was more than fair today. People that keep harping on the same **** need to get another hobby.

This is special. A Lakers fan not making excuses of bad calls. Props.


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[Archx]

Hayes played a total of 4 mins as a starter while DFS logged 41 mins from the bench. If you swap those two, the only player (Vincent) logged more than 10 mins with (13) off the bench. Vincent/Hayes/Vando/Goodwin scored combined 2 pts. Maybe JJ could get creative and bring AR off the bench as the 6th guy.

I know it's fashionable to blame Luka and Lebron but Pelinka will have a difficult off season to fix this mess.

[California Gold]

You underestimate how formidable the Wolves are. Deep. Deep. DEEP. The supporting cast didn't step up tonight, but they usually do and when they do the Wolves are almost unbeatable.

And you're underestimating how good OKC is. And OKC is just as deep or deeper. This isn't even a debate.

If you think the Wolves have a real shot against the Thunder I have a bridge to sell you. Hope you have some money on the Wolves making it to the finals because the pay out has to be rather large. That's how much of a long shot it is.

OKC is very formidable. I'm not underestimating that at all. However, the Wolves have been rolling for a long time now and might be ready for OKC.

Nobody is ready for OKC thus far. They're a 68 win team that just swept their first challenge. This has little to do with the Wolves or any other team has done and all about what OKC has done thus far. They're in a league of their own in the Western conference till proven otherwise. Maybe when they're down in a series 1-3 or similar then I'd get it. Till then, they've proven at least that they're in a class of their own in this conference and no other team is close.

[Wolfgang630]

LeBron going to get JJ fired in the offseason?

Then he’ll get Steve Nash fired and JJ will join him back on the podcast

[Revived]

Read on Twitter

[f4p]

Why does lebron never take the last shot…. i thought he’s supposedly clutch? Shouldn’t LA win these close games with him and luka?

celebrating with some of chicago’s finest pizza

Doesn't he have the most buzzer beaters in playoff history?

[KyRo23]

I don’t even care if the trip on McDaniels was a foul, it’s on JJ for not gettting a screener out there to relieve some of the ball pressure. Every team in the league knows how to combat full court pressure but for whatever reason JJ refused to make that minor adjustment.

All in all I thought the officiating was more than fair today. People that keep harping on the same **** need to get another hobby.

This is special. A Lakers fan not making excuses of bad calls. Props.


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This.

I really hate how 90% of the playoff game threads are just "rigged/refs" garbage. It leaves every single win or loss as a toss up about the refs and it's super lame.

On the flip side I'd love if everyone chilled with the rigged and bad calls on both sides. It's exhausting

[durden_tyler]

I will say this is one of those deceptive 3-1 leads, where the road team is up. Lakers will be favored in 2 of the 3 potential remaining games. If Minnesota lets their foot off the gas in game 5 and loses, suddenly game 6 becomes criticial to avoid going back to LA tied for game 7 (where the Lakers would be favored).

Wolves need to be greedy and come out early in game 5 with a strong punch to put this thing away.

Same worry here. Much like in Game 2, they played contented already knowing they stole G1 and HC advantage. i’d rather see them go for the kill in G5 in LA too.


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[cgf]

You underestimate how formidable the Wolves are. Deep. Deep. DEEP. The supporting cast didn't step up tonight, but they usually do and when they do the Wolves are almost unbeatable.

And you're underestimating how good OKC is. And OKC is just as deep or deeper. This isn't even a debate.

If you think the Wolves have a real shot against the Thunder I have a bridge to sell you. Hope you have some money on the Wolves making it to the finals because the pay out has to be rather large. That's how much of a long shot it is.

OKC is very formidable. I'm not underestimating that at all. However, the Wolves have been rolling for a long time now and might be ready for OKC.

I think you're the only team in the west with the size, shooting, and ballhandlers to be really dangerous to them...maybe the Clippers too, but I just can't trust Kawhi to stay healthy. If OKC's defenders can't harass you into stupid turnovers, you can really give them one hell of a series.

[art_tatum]

imo would trade lebron for what every value he has and rebuild around luka. why drag it out? maybe when the cavs lose, trade lebron back there for some good pieces and for hte cavs you hope lebrons experience can help the cavs star get a chip. too much money tied to lebron in la whne luka has to get max too.

[BigDan245]

Hayes played a total of 4 mins as a starter while DFS logged 41 mins from the bench. If you swap those two, the only player (Vincent) logged more than 10 mins with (13) off the bench. Vincent/Hayes/Vando/Goodwin scored combined 2 pts. Maybe JJ could get creative and bring AR off the bench as the 6th guy.

I know it's fashionable to blame Luka and Lebron but Pelinka will have a difficult off season to fix this mess.

Playing guys a whole half is idiotic. Those guys off the bench aren't bad enough to excuse not giving Luka and LeBron a rest. You aren't playing the 2017 Golden State Warriors for crying out loud.