The Los Angeles Lakers were on the wrong end of a 117-95 blowout to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals at Crypto.com on Saturday night.
Luka Doncic immediately took control of the game as he scored the first six points and finished with 16 in the first 12 minutes to give the Lakers an early lead. The 26-year-old led all scorers with 37 points on 12-of-22 shooting by the end of the contest.
Doncic is no stranger to the NBA playoffs, but Game 1 was his first postseason game as a member of the Lakers and he appreciated the support from the fans at Crypto.com Arena even though the team didn’t play well.
“It was a great atmosphere,” Doncic said after the game. “Sorry we couldn’t get the first win. But it’s always first to four. It was amazing. The crowd was amazing. They were cheering for us even when we were down, so I appreciate it.”
Although it was a disappointing outcome for the Lakers, they have to be thrilled with how Doncic played in his first playoff game with the team.
L.A. acquired Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks with the hope he could be a difference maker for years to come, and the five-time All-Star showed a glimpse of what that could look like on Saturday night.
To Doncic’s credit, he acknowledged that he needs to do more playmaking after finishing with one assist against the Timberwolves. “I try to set the tone but obviously one assist, that’s not good enough for me,” Doncic admitted.
Luka Doncic: Lakers ‘let go of the rope’ in Game 1 loss to Timberwolves
Lakers head coach JJ Redick felt his team did not match Minnesota’s physicality, and Doncic echoed that when discussing what went wrong after the first quarter.
“Definitely. I think in the first quarter we played the way we play. We were playing physical, and then we just kind of let go of the rope,” Doncic said. “So, we have to be way more physical. It’s 48 minutes, and every possession matters.”
Doncic is optimistic that the Lakers will bounce back in Game 2 on Tuesday. “I think just playing our game. Playing the way we know how to play,” Doncic said.
“Very physical, giving energy on the defense end, getting out in transition and playing our game.”
Doncic is one of the best postseason performers in league history, but he can’t win this series alone so others will need to show up.
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