I decided to risk my eyesight and watch and analyze that horrific game deciding 3rd quarter and do a play by play to see where it all went wrong:
start of 3rd, Lakers up 6
Pekovic right block, singled by Bynum, makes a good move to pivot past Bynum, but not enough space and gets caught under the hoop. Rebound Bynum and 1/2 court outlet to Kobe...Kobe able to receive pass 1/2 way across the court b/c Wes was covering Artest on previous possession and had to get back to Kobe; Rubio tried to help but was late and Wolves got caught in transition switching, Kobe took advantage of confusion. Lakers up 8 after 2 free throws.
Very slow developing play, Rubio hands off to Williams and crosses through paint w/ Webster and they both get caught up. Rubio gets the ball back w/ 12 seconds to got at top of the 3 pt line. Rubio runs a late PnR w/ Pek, Bynum uses all his length to try and disrupt pass to rolling Pekovic as Gasol awaits Pek, Pek doesn't see the pass until too late, slips through his hands, turnover.
Lakers possession and Wolves deflect ball out of bounds. Artest inbounds under the basket, Kobe curls in and catches the ball 10 feet at a 45 degree angle from the basket. Looks ready to pass by instinct, then sees nobody actually defending him. Relaxes and rises up for an easy jumper off the glass. I pause right as Kobe is going up to see why nobody is contesting him. Webster is out of position trailing off the curl. Pekovic is right in front of him with deer in the headlights look as he doesn't want to leave Bynum who's right in front of free throw line, but Pek is actually closer to Kobe, but doesn't put a hand up to contest the shot. Wes is about 6 feet away guarding Artest who is still standing under the hoop. Lakers up 10
Another play where nothing happens until 12 seconds left. Rubio comes off a pick w/ Pekovic who doesn't roll, passes to Williams at the arc who jab steps Gasol a couple times but doesn't drive or shoot though he could've taken him going left it looks like. Passes back to Rubio w/ time winding down, Rubio gets a 3 attempt blocked by Gasol. Gasol leaks out in transition, gets fouled by Rubio. Lakers up 12 after 2 free throws
Wolves get a quick look for Pekovic in low post as he established great position, but Pek bobbles the pass and it throws him off b/c now he has to rush to avoid a 3 second call. He tries to spin on Bynum, travels, and gets his shot blocked anyways. Turnover.
Webster plays decent defense contesting Kobe and Wolves rebound a Kobe miss. Rubio looking to run, but he's ahead of all his teammates and 4 Lakers are back. Artest helps Fisher slow up Rubio at 3 point line, Rubio makes an 8 foot pass to Wes, Artest recovers easily and contests Wes' 3 pointer. Airball.
Kobe brings ball up, starts backing down Webster on the perimeter. Wes is trailing Artest who's under the rim and bullying Wes with his size. Wes caught going for the steal as Artest has him sealed off and gets fouled on an easy layup. And 1, Lakers up by 15.
Rubio/Williams try to run a side pick and roll, but the spacing is bad. Lots of Laker hands free to swipe at the pass and Fisher knocks it out of bounds. Wolves looking to inbound and Artest and Williams deadball double foul, 4th on Williams. Wolves finally inbound, Ricky gets the ball to Webster, he takes 2 strong backdown dribbles to get Kobe in the paint, but Kobe recovers strong w/ hands straight up, Webster throws ball up off balance across his body hoping for a foul, no dice. Rebound Lakers.
Webster gambles on pass to Kobe, disrupts it enough that ball is knocked loose, Rubio ends up w/ ball, Wolves run, Pek bulls way under hoop, gets the lay in after Rubio goes under Fish's legs w/ the pass. Wolves finally score. Lakers up 13.
Webster shadowing Kobe at other end, paint is clogged up, Kobe passes to Fisher in corner, Rubio recovers decently to contest, Fisher misses, rebound and quick pass to Rubio who darts past Gasol, Bynum has to make a decision and turns to contest Rubio allowing Pekovic who's waiting under the hoop to get another easy lay in. Lakers up 11.
Lakers post up Gasol on right block. He pushes hard on Williams who's using all his leverage to stop the backdown. Gasol knows how to counter that and spins baseline for the layup as Williams is still in the same spot. Lakers up 13.
Rubio finds Williams at top of the arc, Williams shoots and Gasol makes contact after the release, no call, Gasol keeps running, gets easy dunk in transition. Lakers up 15.
Rubio finds Webster coming off screen, but Kobe easily recovers to contest shot, barely grazes iron. Lakers look for another easy 2 in transition, but a bad pass leads to Rubio steal. Rubio pushes back, finds Webster cutting to the hoop for a layup. Lakers up 13.
Fisher runs pick n pop w/ Gasol, misses jumper, at the other end Webster looks to pull up off the dribble on Artest, slips, lucky to get timeout call from ref instead of jumpball. Randolph subs for Williams. Rubio gets inbound, pick and roll w/ Pek gets eaten up, Rubio looking for something, Fisher tightens up the defense, Bynum helps out w/ clock running down and blocks Rubio's off balance fadeaway. Wes and Webster not finding a good spot on the court to help out Rubio and were taken out of the possession completely.
At the other end, Artest ends up w/ Randolph on him on a switch, decides to hoist a long J, Randolph contests strong, Artest misses. Off the Wolves rebound, Rubio finds Randolph under the hoop w/ a great 3/4 court pass. Randolph a little out position right under the hoop and gets stuffed by Artest on layup attempt.
Kobe pushes the ball up court, backs down Webster, gets doubled by Randolph, finds Gasol from 12', Gasol misses the easy J, Wolves rebound and push, Rubio gets the ball to Randolph on the side - you can tell Rubio has a lot of confidence in Randolph in transition b/c he usually does good things, but this time he misses a 14 footer, rebound Lakers.
Lakers turn the ball over on an offensive foul, Rubio finds Webster, he gets free at the top of the circle, pump fakes, Fish flies by, and cans the jumper. Lakers by 11.
At this point theres 5 and half minutes left. Gasol receives ball on right block, Wes doubles Gasol, Rubio takes Wes' man, nobody picks up Fisher and he cashes a 3 in the corner. Lakers by 14.
Rubio finds Webster, he makes a move then finds Wes in the left corner for a foot on the line 2. Lakers by 12.
Kobe posts up Wes on right block, Wes does a good job batting the ball away, but the ball bounces off Rubio's head back to Kobe and he gets fouled on a short jumper, and 1, Lakers by 15.
Rubio gets the ball to Wes off a screen, Kobe recovers and is in Wes' face. Wes makes a decent move as he spin pivots and gets off an open 17 footer off one dribble, but misses. At the other end Kobe backs down Wes, Rubio doubles, the bad pass ends up w/ Fisher who moves the ball to Artest wide open in the right corner. Randolph is covering Gasol who is under the basket and leaves him to contest Artest, Artest lobs the ball to the wide open Gasol and late help from Wes fouls Gasol for the and 1 layup. I don't know who's fault that was, but the help D rotations off the double teams are not there tonight. Randolph probably should've conceded the 3 by Artest rather than leave Gasol, but whatever. Lakers by 18.
Ridnour and Beasley in for Rubio/Wes. Beasley posts up Artest, spins baseline for a turnaround J, foul call, Artest thinks he got all ball, Beas hits both, Lakers by 16.
Kobe misses a toughly contested shot over Beasley, loose ball back to the Lakers, Artest misses another contested long J, rebound Wolves. Ridnour looks to set up the offense, passes to Beasley 30' from hoop, Beasley preoccupied or something, ball goes through his hands and out of bounds, Beasley says "my bad". Turnover.
Wolves doing a good straight up defensive job, but then Randolph starts doubling Gasol 17 feet from the hoop, Wolves start doing a lot of late switching, Kebo gets fouled, Lakers by 18.
Webster gets the ball, tons of traffic but he's able to drive close to the rim, adjusts the shot in the air, Troy Murphy gets some elbow, gets the foul and goes 1of2 at the line, Lakers by 17.
Blake hits Barnes in the right corner for a lightly contested three, but he misses. Wolves rebound. Randolph posts up Gasol, doesn't move him an inch, passes out to Ridnour and looks for the repost, but Ridnour moves the ball the other way to Beasley who hasn't hit a shot in the 2nd half but he's feeling it and launches a 28 footer off 2 walk up dribbles, Barnes contests closely, airball, Lakers ball.
Wolves look like they're in their unstoppable (as in they never get stops) 2-3 zone. Kobe gets the ball in the lane, turnaround fadeaway, and 1 on Ridnour, though the call was questionable. Regardless its Lakers by 20.
Wolves run double screens w/ Randolph and Darko, leads to a Ridnour contested missed jumper from 18 feet. Lakers rebound, move the ball around and find Troy Murphy who hesitates from 13 feet, then realizes he's completely wide open and cashes the jumper. Lakers announcer says "I dont know what kind of defense the Wolves are in, but whatever it was they better abandon it." Camera then pans to Ademan who's sitting on the bench looking around for a paper bag to put on his head. Lakers by 22.
Beasley drives, gets a solid look in the paint from around the free throw line, but in and out. Lakers rebound, Kobe backs down and misses jumper as Randolph helps, Darko not being very active but his man Gasol is and tipslams the miss. Lakers by 24.
Webster isos and drives, gets a foul call on a reach in, hits both free throws, Lakers by 22.
Kobe misses a contested left handed hook attempt in the paint, at the other end Ridnour runs around the perimeter and lets it fly over Gasol, no dice, rebound Lakers. Kobe drives, gets fouled, hits both free throws, lakers by 24.
5 seconds left, Ridnour pushes full court, hands the ball off to Randolph as the buzzer sounds.
