SERIES SCHEDULE
(Best-of-seven, all times PT)
Game 1: Saturday, at L.A., 5:30 p.m. (ABC/Ch. 7)
Game 2: Tuesday, at L.A., 7 p.m. (TNT/SSN)
Game 3: Fri., April 25, at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN/SSN)
Game 4: Sun., April 27 at Minnesota, 12:30 p.m. (ABC/Ch. 7)
*Game 5: Wed., April 30, at L.A., time TBD (TV TBD)
*Game 6: Fri., May 2 at Minnesota, time TBD (TV TBD)
*Game 7: Sun., May 4 at L.A., time TBD (TV TBD)
* – If necessary
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Tied regular-season series, 2-2
Oct. 22: Lakers 110, Timberwolves 103, at Crypto.com Arena
Dec. 2: Timberwolves 109, Lakers 80, at Minneapolis
Dec. 13: Timberwolves 97, Lakers 87, at Minneapolis
Feb. 27: Lakers 111, Timberwolves 102, at Crypto.com Arena
TALE OF THE TAPE
Timberwolves (regular-season rank) category … Lakers (regular-season rank)
49-33 … Season record … 50-32
114.3 (13th) … PPG … 113.4 (19th)
109.3 (5th) … Opp. PPG … 112.2 (10th)
46.8% (16th) … FG Pct. … 47.9% (9th)
37.7% (4th) … 3-point Pct. … 36.6% (14th)
78.9% (10th) … FT Pct. … 78.5% (13th)
44.3 (15th) … Rebounds … 42.4 (26th)
26.1 (17th) … Assists … 26 (18th)
8 (18th) … Steals … 7.7 (22nd)
5 (14th) … Blocked shots … 4.5 (22nd)
14.5 (18th) … Turnovers … 14 (12th)
STARTING BACKCOURT
Both team’s best players reside in the backcourt. On the Lakers’ side is Luka Doncic, the 26-year-old Slovenian star who is seemingly back in full groove after the Dallas Mavericks shockingly traded him to the Lakers while he was still working his way back from a strained left calf that sidelined him for 6½ weeks. After a slow-by-his-standards start to his tenure with the Lakers, the five-time All-NBA first-team guard averaged 30.4 points (48.3% shooting – 43% from 3-point range), 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.2 steals in his final 12 regular-season games – all of which came alongside Austin Reaves and LeBron James as the Lakers’ best players looked to build continuity. On the other side for the Timberwolves is Anthony Edwards, the 23-year-old rising superstar who averaged career highs in points (27.3) and 3-point percentage (39.5%) this season, in addition to leading the NBA in 3-point field goals (320). The edge goes to the Lakers here, not only because Doncic is widely considered a better player than Edwards, but because Reaves is on the upswing in his career while Timberwolves starting point guard Mike Conley, 37, is trending in the opposite direction. Reaves averaged career highs in points (20.2), assists (5.8), rebounds (4.5), steals (1.1), minutes (34.9), 3-point baskets per game (2.7) and 3-point attempts (7.3). Conley’s points (8.2) and minutes (24.7) averages are the lowest since his rookie season. EDGE: LAKERS
STARTING FRONTCOURT
Even in Year 22, James enters this series as the best frontcourt player. The 40-year-old, four-time league MVP averaged 24.4 points (51.3% shooting – 37.6% from 3-point range), 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds in 70 regular-season games – the second consecutive season he’s played at least 70 games after last doing so in an 82-game season in 2017-18 – his final season with the Cleveland Cavaliers before joining the Lakers. Even though James averaged less than 25 ppg for the first time since he was a rookie, ending a 20-season streak, it wasn’t because he took a step back as a player. His offensive responsibilities shifted after Doncic made his Lakers debut and the emergence of Reaves as an offensive focal point. James had one of his better regular seasons as a defender in a while due to the increased intensity and focus he played with on that end of the court. But the Timberwolves arguably have the second- through fourth-best starting frontcourt players in the series with Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels. Even though the four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year isn’t expected to be in consideration for the award this season, Gobert remains one of the league’s best rim protectors. Randle had a strong finish to his first season with the Timberwolves, averaging 18.2 points (52.3% shooting – 39.8% from behind the arc), 6.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists in Minnesota’s final 21 games after returning from a groin injury that sidelined him for a month. McDaniels is one of the league’s best wing defenders. Rui Hachimura, who is coming off of arguably the best two-way season of his career, is an X-factor for the Lakers. Starting center Jaxson Hayes could play an important role against a Timberwolves team that has a physical style of play and wants to exploit its size advantage. EDGE: TIMBERWOLVES
BENCHES
The Lakers’ bench provides more value than their season-long scoring average of 26.2, the league’s second-lowest mark, suggests. In Dorian Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent, the Lakers have three of their best defenders playing as reserves – a group that Coach JJ Redick affectionately refers to as “banshees” – sometimes changing the dynamic of the game with their energy and defensive versatility. Jordan Goodwin, who signed a standard NBA contract 2½ weeks before the regular season ended to make him eligible for postseason play after previously being signed to a two-way contract, adds to the Lakers’ bench dynamic with his offensive rebounding, perimeter defense, playmaking and catch-and-shoot 3s. But the Timberwolves have one of the league’s better reserve units. Naz Reid, the 25-year-old big man who won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award last season, averaged career highs in points (14.2), rebounds (6) and assists (2.3) this season. Donte DiVincenzo was second on the team in 3-point field goals per game (2.8) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker is one of the league’s best 3-and-D guards. Riverside native and former UCLA guard Jaylen Clark has also emerged as a rotation player for the Timberwolves, being converted to a standard NBA deal from his two-way contract after impressing with his energy and defense. EDGE: TIMBERWOLVES
COACHES
Redick will likely receive more Coach of the Year votes on the year-end ballots. And understandably so after the rookie coach led the Lakers to their first 50-win season since 2019-20 (the last season they won the NBA title) and their first top-three finish in the Western Conference standings in a 82-game season since 2011-12. But Chris Finch has consistently been considered one of the league’s better head coaches for a few seasons now, coming in third in last season’s Coach of the Year voting. With Finch at the helm, the Timberwolves have qualified for the playoffs in four consecutive seasons – the first time the franchise has accomplished that feat since 2000-04. Minnesota, which is coming off a conference finals appearance, is also one of four teams to rank in the top-10 in both offensive and defensive rating, along with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics – all 60-win teams. It’s hard to imagine Redick having a more successful rookie coaching season. He and his staff displayed a strong ability for game planning for high-level matchups during the regular season. But Finch and his staff get the edge based on their shared experiences in playoff situations. EDGE: TIMBERWOLVES
INTANGIBLES
The sixth-seeded Timberwolves have one of the league’s most played lineups (their starting unit of Conley, Edwards, McDaniels, Randle and Gobert) and best quintets (Conley, Edwards, McDaniels, Reid and Gobert). They returned six of their eight rotation players from last year’s team that made the run to the Western Conference finals. But the third-seeded Lakers also have a rotation full of players who have at least made playoff runs to the conference finals – including players in Doncic, James, and Vincent who have made it to the NBA Finals, with James winning four championships. The Lakers might not have the same shared experiences as a group, but they have enough individual experiences to lean on, and two of the best playmakers in league history in James and Doncic who can dissect Minnesota’s imposing defense. Doncic regularly did this when he led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last year by eliminating the Timberwolves in the conference finals. EDGE: LAKERS
SERIES PREDICTION
The cliche “styles makes fights” is appropriate for this first-round series. The Lakers thrive with their center-less lineups, spreading out defenses with their “laser” quintets that feature five players who can shoot, attack closeouts and defend. The Timberwolves thrive with bigger lineups and have several players who can do damage on the offensive glass. But the Lakers should ultimately have three of the four best players in the series, which should be enough to get to the second round after a hard-fought series against a Minnesota squad that will have its hands full trying to contain Doncic, James and Reaves. LAKERS IN SIX.