2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West First Round: #3 LA Lakers vs #6 Minnesota Timberwolves (MIN leads 1-0)

[Bob8]

Yes, I made a mistake, it's Naz.

Hayes is total non factor in Lakers, he's on minimum contract. Gobert is 4x best defensive player, getting 44 mio. Expectations are not the same. 2 points and 6 rebounds in 24 minutes for 44 mio player is pretty bad.

I wonder what kind of a team would have Wolves had, if they didn't give that much for Gobert? Probably far the best in the West.

Just one of the mistakes you made. Let’s get you to realize some others.

Game 1:
Wolves win by exactly 22 points.
Gobert plays 24 minutes, exactly half the game.
Gobert is +14, 63% of the teams’ margin of victory.

And this is getting played off the floor to you?

How can you look yourself in the mirror in the morning with a straight face? You’re living in a dream-world!

In no way, shape, or form is that getting played off the court. None whatsoever.

Lakers lose by 22.
Hayes plays 8 minutes, 15% of the game.
Hayes is -11, exactly half the teams’ margin of loss.

THAT, is what getting played off the floor looks like.

Sounds like Lakers need a 44 million dollar center right about now!

This part of the discussion is just a laughably bad look for the Lakers fan base.

The Lakers made an adjustment to go from Hayes to their small-ball lineup, great. But did you not account for the fact that the opponent is allowed to counter with its own substitutions as well?

The brilliant thing about Minnesota's roster construction, is the roster is not filled with inflated egos of self-proclaimed kings and Slovenian mobsters. The Timberwolves don't take a smaller role in one game as an attack on their character, but instead as an adjustment needed to win the basketball game. Last I checked, that's what is most important in each playoff series: Who gets to 4 wins first.

It's not the first time Gobert has played just 24 minutes in a game and it won't be the last. The flaw in the Lakers strategy is that they probably thought that if it wasn't Gobert out there, it would be Garza. After all, that's essentially LA's roster conundrum with Len. But on the contrary, Minnesota also has its own small-ball lineup that has been humming along and is quite deadly in its own right, as the Lakers have now witnessed firsthand.

Do you think post like yours isn't bad look for the Wolves fan base?

I didn't see any Lakers fans talking bad about your fan base or about Wolves players. Is talking about inflated egos, self proclaimed kings and Slovenian mobsters really necessary? How you see Ant? Modest hard working man maybe?

Btw. Slovenian mobster has killed you last year.

[Klomp]

Btw. Slovenian mobster has killed you last year.

Good for him. A Serbian mobster once "killed us" too. And then Minnesota made adjustments to counter his advantages and took the next series.

[pepe1991]

My change for Game 2 if I were the Lakers:

Make Randle a jump shooter.

Close out on all of those guys, and just make Randle take jumpshots. Rather have him take them and make <40% of those over Ant torching them and having Reid, Alexander-Walker, DiVincenzo and others look like Ray Allen.

Lakers simply don't have players that can defend 1 on 1 well ESPECIALLY in combination with no rim protection.

So whenever Reaves, Luka get cooked ( almost every possession), everybody else ( Hachi, Lebron, Smith) have to provide way more of a help defense than they should. By doing so, they leave passing lines open for wide open shoots.



Edwards is making Luka dance salsa, Vincet can't commit to defending just corner because if Edwards drives to his stronger hand (Right) it's layup.



Vanderbitt goes for double team. It's just matter of can Edwards read on time and give up open shot to Randle or not.



He does. Now it's just matter of will Randle take most wide open shot can get, or pass to equally open Reid in corner, either way, Lakers simply don't have men power to actually defend it.

Lakers defense is actually even way worst when they play both Reaves and Hayes. I have no clue how Hayes still has nba career, but you can say that for whole bunch of lottery bust bigs that somehow still hang around.

Problem with Lakers is simple, but hard to fix. They are unathletic team with too many weak defensive links, including aiging Lebron who, to me, looks terrible despite "okey" stat line on both ends. You really have to start thinking about retirement if you can't take Randle off the dribble any more.
Even if Lakers survive first round ( they probably won't) Hayes, Reaves and Luka on same team in playoffs is suicide on defense.

[2weekswithpay]

Read on Twitter

[Klomp]

Vanderbitt goes for double team. It's just matter of can Edwards read on time and give up open shot to Randle or not.



He does. Now it's just matter of will Randle take most wide open shot can get, or pass to equally open Reid in corner, either way, Lakers simply don't have men power to actually defend it.

The other issue I see with this is the effort level. They are giving up. No trying to chase him out the line, no sprinting to the man in the corner, no turning around to watch the shot or getting ready to box out. They gave up, after exerting all of that energy just cut the deficit in half at that point.

This effort level is what allowed Minnesota to dominate in transition too. The effort level was borderline embarrassing, especially for a lineup with supposed Top 2 player in NBA history and a supposed eventual Top 20 player in NBA history. Redick was spot on when he said they were treating it like a regular season game.

[Bob8]

Btw. Slovenian mobster has killed you last year.

Good for him. A Serbian mobster once "killed us" too. And then Minnesota made adjustments to counter his advantages and took the next series.

This series might be known as Slovenian fat mobster vs. Baby-making machine.

[2weekswithpay]

Ant is going to create opens 3s, but plays like this can be fixed.

I don't have an issue with the aggressive help when Ant ISOs. The problem with plays like this is there's no recovery. Vando tries to deflect the pass instead of trying to recover after Ant picks up his dribble on the spin. Lebron never attempts to close out either.

[BigDan245]

I think people meme about the Lakers not committing fouls, but it's pretty alarming if you ask me. You're going to get called for fouls no matter what if you are physical enough and take chances on defense.

To not commit one foul until like 4 minutes left in the 2nd quarter is a terrible sign. They really need to put more pressure on the ball and gamble. You have no rim protection and if you're going to get blown off the ball anyways, you might as well fight and make it a rugged game.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Ant is going to create opens 3s, but plays like this can be fixed.

I don't have an issue with the aggressive help when Ant ISOs. The problem with plays like this is there's no recovery. Vando tries to deflect the pass instead of trying to recover after Ant picks up his dribble on the spin. Lebron never attempts to close out either.

To be fair, I think almost everyone expected Edwards to take that shot. And history tells us he would normally take that shot.

But he's showing more glimpses of passing out of those opportunities. This is a huge development in his game...

[OkcSinceSGA]

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Lakers may be cooked?

[cupcakesnake]

The Lakers adjustment for Game 2 (or the whole series for that matter) are not just two or three small things. They are systemic team culture issues; they are not putting in playoffs effort, not boxing out, not setting proper screens, Rui and other folks having low bb iq, etc.

Lakers are in huge trouble.

Nah. Some of those things are just "play better". The Lakers will. They Lakers are capable of offensive explosions. The Minnesota defense is very good but so terrifying that they're going to make LA look like that every night. Lebron is old and probably injured, but will still find some edges as the series goes on. Luka was unguardable in game 1, but he'll figure out how to punish the Wolves more efficiently for how they're guarding him.

Let's save the panic button for if things go poorly tonight. I'm anticipating some small adjustments, a better offense, and the Lakers putting up big offensive numbers.

[Beethoven]

The Lakers adjustment for Game 2 (or the whole series for that matter) are not just two or three small things. They are systemic team culture issues; they are not putting in playoffs effort, not boxing out, not setting proper screens, Rui and other folks having low bb iq, etc.

Lakers are in huge trouble.

Nah. Some of those things are just "play better". The Lakers will. They Lakers are capable of offensive explosions. The Minnesota defense is very good but so terrifying that they're going to make LA look like that every night. Lebron is old and probably injured, but will still find some edges as the series goes on. Luka was unguardable in game 1, but he'll figure out how to punish the Wolves more efficiently for how they're guarding him.

Let's save the panic button for if things go poorly tonight. I'm anticipating some small adjustments, a better offense, and the Lakers putting up big offensive numbers.

I dunno man... unless you are one of the basketball gods, your response would make me happy... but I dunno man.

[cupcakesnake]

The Lakers adjustment for Game 2 (or the whole series for that matter) are not just two or three small things. They are systemic team culture issues; they are not putting in playoffs effort, not boxing out, not setting proper screens, Rui and other folks having low bb iq, etc.

Lakers are in huge trouble.

Nah. Some of those things are just "play better". The Lakers will. They Lakers are capable of offensive explosions. The Minnesota defense is very good but so terrifying that they're going to make LA look like that every night. Lebron is old and probably injured, but will still find some edges as the series goes on. Luka was unguardable in game 1, but he'll figure out how to punish the Wolves more efficiently for how they're guarding him.

Let's save the panic button for if things go poorly tonight. I'm anticipating some small adjustments, a better offense, and the Lakers putting up big offensive numbers.

I dunno man... unless you are one of the basketball gods, your response would make me happy... but I dunno man.

Losing game 1 always feels like the end of the world. Blow out especially make a fanbase feel hopeless. Just try to lean on the memories of series past when it looked like 1 team had it all and then game 2 happened. Losing games 1, 2, and 3... now that's the end of the world. One I hope my Timberpups bring about

[Klomp]

A quick look through game logs says the Lakers having 15 assists to 13 turnovers is not an anomaly.

4/13 at POR 21:21
4/8 at OKC 21:19
3/22 vs CHI 23:21
3/20 vs MIL 26:22
3/13 at MIL 18:14
3/8 at BOS 18:14

All six of those occurrences were losses.

[Revived]

Redick is a crazy maniac that watches ton of film…I think he’ll have tons of changes in game 2.

Will be interesting to see what they are and how the Wolves counter.

[Beethoven]

Redick is a crazy maniac that watches ton of film…I think he’ll have tons of changes in game 2.

Will be interesting to see what they are and how the Wolves counter.

The crazy thing is, he allowed what happened in game 1, in terms of X and O's, that should not be in the game, whether one watches film or not.

For example,
"hmm, Rui, you didnt box out the whole game.. this game 2 I want you to box out ok?" ... oh really????

or

"hmm Lebron/Doncic go back into transition defense immediately after a bucket. Other team is running out and scoring on us since you are lagging behind and talking to the crowd or the ref" ..... oh really??? you need to watch film to address this not in game 1???

or


"Hayes/rui please set a SOLID pick when Austin or Doncic needs it from you. Dont just stand there for a second going through the motion of a pick. Let the opponent fight through your pick you set, not just let him glide by" ..... no **** Sherlock???


sorry, im just venting.

[Revived]

Redick is a crazy maniac that watches ton of film…I think he’ll have tons of changes in game 2.

Will be interesting to see what they are and how the Wolves counter.

The crazy thing is, he allowed what happened in game 1, in terms of X and O's, that should not be in the game, whether one watches film or not.

For example,
"hmm, Rui, you didnt box out the whole game.. this game 2 I want you to box out ok?" ... oh really????

or

"hmm Lebron/Doncic go back into transition defense immediately after a bucket. Other team is running out and scoring on us since you are lagging behind and talking to the crowd or the ref" ..... oh really??? you need to watch film to address this not in game 1???

or


"Hayes/rui please set a SOLID pick when Austin or Doncic needs it from you. Dont just stand there for a second going through the motion of a pick. Let the opponent fight through your pick you set, not just let him glide by" ..... no **** Sherlock???


sorry, im just venting.

What you’re mentioning are effort plays. And that definitely played a role in it. I think lakers players had the attitude that since it was a home game and they’re the higher seed with the star power, that the game would be given to them.

Even from the start of the game, LeBron himself seemed to hardly be giving any effort. And the remaining role players followed his lead on that. Lebron then finally started giving a **** in the 3rd qtr but by then Wolves were too hot and in synch.

Luka was the only one who treated this like an important playoff game from the start.

[Klomp]

Read on Twitter

[Revived]

Lakers simply don't have players that can defend 1 on 1 well ESPECIALLY in combination with no rim protection.

Pelinka definitely has to address the C position in the offseason. Still don’t understand why he rescinded the Mark Williams trade…Williams seemed healthy after the trade deadline and only missed games that Hornets were tanking.

I think Pelinka is gonna try and get someone like Claxton or Ayton. Or maybe a more premium C like Derick Lively even though that would probably require trading Reaves too (Mavs need a secondary ball handler next to Kyrie). Lively is locked in on a cheap deal for next few years too while Reaves is an expiring contract next season so would make sense for the Lakers.

[Revived]

I have no clue how Hayes still has nba career, but you can say that for whole bunch of lottery bust bigs that somehow still hang around.

The fact that Alex Len is still in the league is amazing to me. I don’t understand how Hasheem Thabeet couldn’t last longer in similar fashion.