The Los Angeles Lakers disappointed many fans. They had an extra week to prepare for the playoffs. Because of that, expectations were high. Many believed they would deliver a dominant performance. However, the opposite happened. The Lakers looked flat and were physically outplayed from start to finish. They only won the first quarter. NBA legend Magic Johnson reacted quickly. He did not hesitate to break down the reasons behind the loss.
“The Lakers failed in two big categories in their loss against the Timberwolves. On the defensive end – they allowed the Timberwolves to shoot over 51% from the field and they didn’t respond to the physical play of the Timberwolves. Last but not least, it was too much standing around on the Lakers offense and players watching the Lakers big three, Reeves, Doncic and James, go one-on-one. We need far more productivity from the bench,” stated Magic Johnson on X, formerly Twitter.
Luka Doncic and LeBron James delivered strong individual efforts. However, the team looked disconnected on both ends of the floor. The Timberwolves punished the Lakers’ poor defensive rotations. They also took advantage of a stagnant offense that relied too often on isolation plays. The Lakers managed to control the ball at times. But their lack of physicality prevented them from breaking through Minnesota’s intense defense.
The Lakers’ star trio continues to carry the scoring load. However, Austin Reaves finished with only 16 points, a drop from the 23 he scored in the previous game. In addition, the lack of bench production and defensive consistency remains a serious concern. The second unit failed to make an impact on offense once again. As a result, this heavy dependence on the trio could backfire. Especially when the Timberwolves spread their scoring and forced the Lakers’ defense to work harder.
Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers brings up the ball during a 111-102 Lakers win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on February 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Austin Reaves speaks about Lakers’ performance against Timberwolves
Austin Reaves is one of the most improved players this season. However, he didn’t stand out in the opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played 37 minutes and finished with 16 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. Those numbers were not enough.
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Expectations were higher for a player in his current form especially because he lacked creativity with the ball. He also failed to apply pressure after turnovers. These issues made his impact on the game minimal, despite the time he spent on the court.
Considering the latter, Austin Reaves did not shy away from holding himself accountable after a disappointing performance in such a crucial game: “Bad. Didn’t play very well…Got a couple shots to go in the third quarter, but through the whole midst of the game, I have to be better. I have to help us control the game better and like I said, I’ll watch the film and get better.”
Still, he stays optimistic about the series. “We have an opportunity on Tuesday to even up the series on our home court and go compete for two games on their home court. You never lose after the first game, second game, third game, to be honest. You gotta get beat four times or you gotta win four times.”
SurveyWhich Lakers player do you believe must step up the most to help turn the series around against the Timberwolves?
Which Lakers player do you believe must step up the most to help turn the series around against the Timberwolves?
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