The Los Angeles Lakers are set to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in a pivotal Game 3 of their NBA Playoff series, with the matchup deadlocked at 1-1. As the series shifts to Minneapolis, the Timberwolves prepare to host their first home playoff game — and the stakes couldn’t be higher. One of the major storylines heading into the night is the status of Lakers star LeBron James.
The veteran forward has been dealing with groin and hip issues dating back to the regular season, and his health remains a crucial factor for L.A.’s hopes in the series. According to Lakers insider Jovan Buha via X (formerly Twitter), James provided a concise but reassuring update on his availability: “I’m available today.”
The three-word message signals that James is ready to suit up and contribute in what is shaping up to be a physical and high-intensity series. James originally sustained the groin injury during the regular season, forcing him to miss seven games before returning to action on March 22 against the Chicago Bulls.
He appeared to aggravate the injury again in the final game of the regular season, briefly exiting and leaving fans concerned about his NBA playoff readiness. However, he’s since returned to form, putting up solid numbers through the first two games.
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter in Game One of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 19, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
LeBron’s series stats so far
Through two games, James is averaging 20.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists while shooting 43.2% from the field and 20.0% from beyond the arc. In Game 2, he flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. His experience and leadership remain critical for the Lakers, especially against a Timberwolves team powered by the youthful explosiveness of Anthony Edwards. As the Lakers look to regain control of the series, James’ presence on the court — both physically and mentally — will be essential.
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LeBron on JJ Redick’s timeout message in game 2
One of the more surprising moments from Game 2 came during a timeout, when interim head coach JJ Redick delivered an emotional outburst to fire up his squad. While some might expect a veteran like LeBron to be resistant to that kind of energy, he welcomed it.
“I thought we responded well, just from the timeout,” James said. “We know JJ is gonna spaz out from time to time. That’s JJ. At this point, for us, obviously, we need to listen to the message, not the way he’s delivering it.”
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“For me, my high school coach my freshman year was kind of the same way. He spazzed out on us. And you have to be able to understand — it’s not how he’s saying it, it’s what he’s saying. And I thought we responded after that.” With James locked in and healthy, and the Lakers looking to make a deep postseason run, Game 3 against Timberwolves, could prove to be a defining moment in this first-round battle.
