LeBron James reveals his mindset for Game 2 of Lakers against Timberwolves playoff series

The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the playoffs. Even if they had an extra week to prepare, they failed to carry over the consistency they had shown in recent games. As they managed to win only one quarter, which exposed several weaknesses. Their loss sparked controversy. Many fans and analysts questioned what led to the disappointing result. After the game, LeBron James pointed out one key factor that, in his opinion, could have changed the outcome.

“When you play the Minnesota team, you got to be physical. That’s what they bring to the table. So maybe it took us one playoff game to now get a feel for the type of intensity, the type of physicality that’s going to be brought to the game, but that’s just the way they play. So we should be more than prepared for that on Tuesday night,” confessed LeBron James.

The Lakers looked physically overmatched. As a result, they could not break through the Timberwolves’ tough defense. The loss sparked heavy criticism. Many pointed out that Los Angeles had a full week of rest, while Minnesota had less time. Even so, the Lakers appeared slower and less intense throughout the game.

Luka Doncic was the only player who showed offensive dominance. He scored 37 points and led all players in the game. However, that was not enough to turn things around. LeBron James admitted the problem was not just physical. He pointed out other areas the team needs to fix moving forward.

Head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers high fives LeBron James #23 during the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on April 09, 2025 in Dallas, Texas.

“Obviously we gotta do a better job controlling the controllables, and I don’t think we did a good enough job after the first quarter…They blitzed us in that second quarter 38-20. But giving up 21 threes, giving up 20-plus fast break points, second-chance points, those are some of the things that we can control. Obviously, the 3-point shooting. We know they have a lot of lasers. They have a lot of guys that can shoot from the perimeter,” stated LeBron James.

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Anthony Edwards reflects on Timberwolves defeating Lakers in the Game 1: ‘We’re not supposed to be here’

Lakers head coach JJ Redick opens up on his team defeat against Timberwolves in key playoffs game

JJ Redick has been one of the top coaches this season. However, he continues to face heavy criticism for his team’s style. NBA legend Magic Johnson even called him out. After that, Redick chose not to defend himself. Instead, he turned the focus on his own team. He expressed strong disappointment with their performance. Most of his criticism centered on their lack of physical performance.

“…We were mentally ready. I thought our spirit was right. I thought even when they made runs, our huddles were great. The communication was great. I’m not sure physically we were ready, if that makes sense. Really, when they started playing with a lot of thrust and physicality, we just didn’t respond immediately to that,” confessed Redick.