The last few regular season games for the Los Angeles Lakers were a rollercoaster and now the stage is set for a highly anticipated first-round matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference.
The Los Angeles Lakers earned the No. 3 seed despite losing the last game of the season to the Portland Trail Blazers last Sunday in a 109-81 loss. Nonetheless, the Lakers have home-court advantage to open the postseason. A majority of the team’s starters were ruled out for the Portland game to rest until the playoffs, but now that time has officially come. The Minnesota Timberwolves slipped to the No. 6 seed after winning their last three games of the season.
This will be a matchup filled with star power and playoff tension. The Lakers, led by LeBron James and Luka Dončić, are starting to find their groove at the right time. Dončić was phenomenal down the regular season stretch, including a 45-point explosion in his emotional return to Dallas last week. James, now in his 22nd season, is still averaging 24.4 points and 8.2 assists per game and remains the heartbeat of a team with championship aspirations.
Meanwhile, Minnesota enters the series with more questions than answers. Anthony Edwards has been exciting to watch all season, but the Wolves’ positive momentum from recent postseasons has been questionable after Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo joined the team last season, with Karl-Anthony Towns going to New York Knicks.
During the regular season, the Lakers and Timberwolves split their four matchups 2–2, with each team defending home court. This series is expected to be physical, fast-paced and fiercely competitive between the two teams.
With championship contenders on the lakers side and hungry, talented players on the other, Saturday night’s Game 1 feels like more than just an opening matchup, but the start of what could be a classic playoff battle in potentially the most exciting first-round series.
Still, the Timberwolves have the star power to contend. Edwards has had a breakout season, averaging 27.6 points per game and still emerging as one of the league’s most dynamic young scorers. Randle is averaging 18.7 points per game and remains a threat, even though he has historically struggled in the playoffs. Rudy Gobert, the Timberwolves’ big man, is averaging 10.9 rebounds per game and will be critical in slowing down the Lakers’ attack in the paint.
Now, with the spotlight even brighter and the pressure is even higher, those regular season stats mean less and every possession means more in the race to the NBA Finals.
The lights are on, the seeds are set and the Lakers’ road to Banner No. 18 officially starts now. For the Lakers and Timberwolves, it’s a win-or-go-home series and someone will be sending their opponent to Cancún. Game 1 tips off Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Crypto.com Arena.