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

[Mr. Perfect]

Last 2 teams to beat Luka in the playoffs were the NBA champions. You can make the argument that the Wolves are deeper and more well rounded. But post-season basketball is just different. I'm not betting against Luka and Lebron.

Lakers in 5.

[hauntedcomputer]

I'm not betting against Luka and Lebron.

Neither are the Adelsons, I assure you.

[_NoMas]

If ant continues to play like he’s never seen a double team in his life, lakers in 5. If he can adjust and make the right plays, this could easily go 7 and is a toss up. There’s not many teams (if any) that have 3 legit starter quality players on their bench like the T-Wolves do (Naz Reid, DDV, NAW).

[kartexpert]

It’s sort of a revenge match for the Lakers leaving Minnesota, fresh in the minds of many octogenarian fans.

[Froob]

Lakers in 7

[shrink]

Read on Twitter

[shrink]

Tell me, who was the best defensive team last year in RS?

Last year? Like 2023-24? It was the Wolves by a country mile.

And what happened with their D in Mavs series?

I feel like there are a lot of people with big opinions here who only know (or choose to remember?) a tiny bit about MIN.

First, MIN’s playoff defense was pretty damn good the first two series. Ask a tearful Devin Booker or heat pack Jamal Murray. Luka is a great offensive player, but you know who’s better? Jokic.

So what happened in the DAL series, which many predicted that MIN would win? First, a vicious fall in Game 6 in DEN should have put Ant out of the series. Playing through that injury, he was never the same. Towns, we learned later, came back earlier than he should have to be in the playoffs, and while they won the DEN series, it left them exhausted. Their take-away was that they needed to prepare to play up to 100 games, not 82.

This takes nothing away from Luka. Like most teams, MIN doesn’t have an obvious choice to guard him. McDaniels is an elite, long defender, but he is too skinny and foul prone. But overall, the Wolves have several gifted perimeter defenders (McDaniels, Nickiel Alexander-Walker, Jaylen Clark and even Ant and DDV, and still has Gobert in the paint erasing mistakes. Luka doesn’t have lob threats like in DAL, that killed MIN last year. And unlike last year, MIN finally has a playoff-level offense - not just Ant.

Interesting series, but people shouldn’t make predictions based on a couple things they remember from MIN a year ago.

[Bob8]

Read on Twitter

You should check opponents Lakers have beaten in that period and Wolves. And look at crazy schedule Lakers had because of the fires. For example Lakers had 3x in a row back2back, I have never seen something like that.

[Bob8]

Last year? Like 2023-24? It was the Wolves by a country mile.

And what happened with their D in Mavs series?

I feel like there are a lot of people with big opinions here who only know (or choose to remember?) a tiny bit about MIN.

First, MIN’s playoff defense was pretty damn good the first two series. Ask a tearful Devin Booker or heat pack Jamal Murray. Luka is a great offensive player, but you know who’s better? Jokic.

So what happened in the DAL series, which many predicted that MIN would win? First, a vicious fall in Game 6 in DEN should have put Ant out of the series. Playing through that injury, he was never the same. Towns, we learned later, came back earlier than he should have to be in the playoffs, and while they won the DEN series, it left them exhausted. Their take-away was that they needed to prepare to play up to 100 games, not 82.

This takes nothing away from Luka. Like most teams, MIN doesn’t have an obvious choice to guard him. McDaniels is an elite, long defender, but he is too skinny and foul prone. But overall, the Wolves have several gifted perimeter defenders (McDaniels, Nickiel Alexander-Walker, Jaylen Clark and even Ant and DDV, and still has Gobert in the paint erasing mistakes. Luka doesn’t have lob threats like in DAL, that killed MIN last year. And unlike last year, MIN finally has a playoff-level offense - not just Ant.

Interesting series, but people shouldn’t make predictions based on a couple things they remember from MIN a year ago.

We're for sure missing something about Wolves, nobody is watching other teams much, but I guarantee you that you are missing few things about Lakers too.

1. They had great score against 0.500 teams after the trade. They were losing a lot of games against bad team from east. Playing not motivated against bad teams is Luka's thing for ever btw.

2. They had incredibly difficult schedule with big number of back2back and to make things worse. Rui, Haynes and LeBron were out in the most difficult stretch. I'm pretty sure they would have been second seed without those injuries.

3. Luka was in shock first month in LA, he played the worst basketball of his career in that time. He looks great in last few weeks. He's in far better condition than last year, when they met. That should translate in his offense and D.

4. About lob threat. Yes it was important for Luka, especially because he was struggling physically. But if you want put the best possible team around Luka offensively is 5 out offense. He's unstoppable there. Lakers small ball is offensively the best lineup he ever played with. Offensive rtg of their best small ball lineup is 125.

5. Lakers small ball is not really small, because of the size of Luka and LeBron. How many 6'8 Pgs are in the league? Lakers have 2 and both are 250+.

[Memories]

Randle is absolute garbage in the playoffs, Wolves are worse this year than last year, and they have the privilege of reliving their PTSD by losing to Luka again.

Lakers in 5.

[Optms]

I see people describing this as a cakewalk for LAL to the conference finals, but I just don't see it. I think this goes 7, and Minnesota can surprise people like they did last year against Denver.

Luka isn't Joker. He's gonna cook the Wolves all series.

[Homer38]

Read on Twitter

You should check opponents Lakers have beaten in that period and Wolves. And look at crazy schedule Lakers had because of the fires. For example Lakers had 3x in a row back2back, I have never seen something like that.

And the lakers had some injuries at the same time like LBJ and Rui and when they comeback they had some bad losses since their rhythm had not returned yet which is normal....They had as you say a brutal schedule with like 4 games in 5 days twice in a short moment

[Bob8]

Read on Twitter

You should check opponents Lakers have beaten in that period and Wolves. And look at crazy schedule Lakers had because of the fires. For example Lakers had 3x in a row back2back, I have never seen something like that.

And the lakers had some injuries at the same time like LBJ and Rui and when they comeback they had some bad losses since their rhythm had not returned yet which is normal....They had as you say a brutal schedule with like 4 games in 5 days twice in a short moment

I addressed that in second post.

[thinktank]

Lakers fans and others saying Gobert can't guard 5 out.

Well, Lakers biggest weakness is center. I.e. Wolves can pound Lakers inside with our size (Gobert, Randle, Naz, McDaniels), and we can play Randle / Naz when Lakers try 5-Out.

[Homer38]

This series is just a horrible matchup for Rudy.He has been horrible against good small ball team in his career in the playoffs

[w3027193]

Minnesota will play like they have nothing to lose and upset the mighty Lakers. Yes sir, Ant man will average 35 PPG

They'll just double ant man and he won't know what to do.

Yeah edawarfs hasn't been doubled very much before

[thinktank]

FYI, since Luka was traded to the Lakers, the Wolves have 200+ more FTAs than the Lakers.

If that trend changes, you know it's refball.

But Edwards and Randle have been getting to the line like crazy.

[Bob8]

Lakers fans and others saying Gobert can't guard 5 out.

Well, Lakers biggest weakness is center. I.e. Wolves can pound Lakers inside with our size (Gobert, Randle, Naz, McDaniels), and we can play Randle / Naz when Lakers try 5-Out.

Sure you can, the question is if that lineup can have 125 offensive rtg.

In the end basketball is simple, you have to score more than other team. That's why teams are rather shooting 3s nowadays.

[Jedi32]

Who does the Lakers have that can check ant?

What team in the league has someone that can check Ant?

[Bob8]

Who does the Lakers have that can check ant?

What team in the league has someone that can check Ant?

I have checked Ant. Luka in his worst season is better in points and much better in rebounds, assists and steals.