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

[Wolfgang630]

12 - 5 FT advantage for the Lakers
11 - 4 foul advantage for the Lakers

the NBA is shameless. And you people celebrate this garbage? Typical b.s. officiating we've come to expect.

Yep it’s complete bs to help the lakers

[Mk0]

Not to be a whiner because I think that the reffing has been (mostly) fine, but I don't really understand what defensive players are supposed to do when offensive players post up with the intention of embellishing contact.

Was it the Jazz who tried guarding prime Harden with their hands behind their back. Just daring the refs to call their bullsh#% fouls while they didn't use their arms.

They tried a series guarding him from behind as well.

Yeah I remember that, but I wasn't sure if they were the ones that did the hands behind the back defense as well.

I remember Rubio playing Harden from behind though.. wild.

[Upperclass]

If a Wolves defender even looks like they're contesting.. its a foul

[Folklore]

So they talk about the Knicks?

[Tracymcgoaty]

Total disgrace for the Lakers in the second quarter. Felt like the worst of the Dallas days when Luka had no help.

Redick could have made better adjustments but the roster is limited. I'm letting Hayes go in the summer. His mind isn't good enough IMO to be a starter or backup on a contender.

LA has to get bigger in the summer.

Oh there are so many things that need to be adressed with this roster. Only media and extreme homers thought this team was winning it all. Most fans saw the holes in this team.

[Wolfgang630]

The Lakers can make it to the second round

[Mk0]

So they talk about the Knicks?

Stephen A needed a reason to scream and the Lakers didn't give him anything to be aroused about.

[Mavrelous]

Matchup is going as expected, I'm not sure why people are suprprised, it's just that Reaves and LeBron aren't hitting anything and Wolves are 50% from 3, when Luka was hitting everything, it was Lakers lead, once others had to pitch in ot flipped.
The series will be won on the margins, and the Wolves are dominating there.

[Shaka_Zulu]

I thought Reaves was part of an all time great big 3?

Lol

He is a shifty 3 level scorer. But his advantage is big size for a guard, which is no advantage vs wolves (besides Conley). And he is too slow to generate iso buckets on wolves wing defenders ala what Kyrie did last year. So its not the most ideal match up for Reaves.


But he will get with his shooting/scoring eventually.


His main base level use will be his extra ball handler playmaking and foul baiting lol

[Raps in 4]

Only +7 FTA differential for the Lakers. Refs need to step up in the second half. It isn't a Lakers playoff series if the Lakers don't average like +20.

[Revived]

They don’t have to work very hard to get these looks. Don’t forget they literally missed 3 or 4 layups in the first quarter and lakers haven’t been called for a single foul so far

This is best case scenario for lakers right now

Reaves and LeBron aren’t gonna have 8 pts combined in the next half lol

They do need to pick things up on defense though if get want to win this.

I think they will. This gives me vibes from the earlier Pistons/Knicks game.

[thinktank]

Reaves has been the worst player on the court...by far

He's below NAW

NAW doesn’t need any of that bull flopping or dribbling the air out of it.

Shoot three, shot fake, pass, finish at rim. And decide immediately.

And NAW plays great D.

People are dumb.

[Wolfgang630]

Lebron definitely ain’t gonna last and it’ll be Luka trying to carry the lakers if they make it in further rounds lol.

[Dennis Reynolds]

People talking about Minny's athleticism and defense advantage and LA's having an IQ edge but the Wolves have played smarter as well. Great 2nd qtr from them.

[Shaka_Zulu]

Naz Reid has 17 points on 6-8 from the field. +19 in 18 minutes.

He can do better lol


He has super smooth 3pt shot when he gets going. And he likes attacking teams who lacks size inside (his favourite team to hunt down is Warriors, he allways scores alot vs them).

[OldSchoolNoBull]

Minnesota's offense just looks smoother right now. The Lakers offense is too much of Luka and LeBron just taking turns. Just one half though.

[TimberKat]

Luka vs the world it seems

Wolves aren't coming with the double team and let Luka get his.Luka is a great player but he will have to beat Wolves by himself.

[Mk0]

Total disgrace for the Lakers in the second quarter. Felt like the worst of the Dallas days when Luka had no help.

Redick could have made better adjustments but the roster is limited. I'm letting Hayes go in the summer. His mind isn't good enough IMO to be a starter or backup on a contender.

LA has to get bigger in the summer.

Oh there are so many things that need to be adressed with this roster. Only media and extreme homers thought this team was winning it all. Most fans saw the holes in this team.

Yeah I don't get all the "omg they are gonna win the chip!" talk. They didn't retool around Luka, they just replaced AD/MadMax with him. This roster isn't built for him.

Some of the guys fit, but Luka NEEDS a rim-running C who can erase his mistakes on defense. They almost made the move for one..

[Chuck Everett]

27-6 bench points in favor of the Wolves. Who is supposed to give the Lakers some bench points? Vincent and Finney-Smith?

[Sealab2024]

So im assuming Gobert has been played off the court and LA has already won the first 3 games in the first half. Isn't that what Lakers fans told us was gonna happen?