The Minnesota Timberwolves walked into Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night with a massive opportunity on their hands. Holding a 1-0 series lead against the Los Angeles Lakers, the whispers were beginning to grow louder. Could the Wolves really do it? Could they take a commanding two-to-nothing lead on Luka Doncic and company and head back to Minnesota with a chance for a potential sweep?
From the start and before the ball was even tipped to begin the game, we knew this was going to be a tall task for Minnesota for a number of reasons, not the least of which being this: The Timberwolves love to play as the underdog. And after Game 1, they were finally beginning to be seen as the favorites in this series.
That alone was enough to make Wolves fans who know this team and its tendencies intimately extremely nervous. Playing with expectations has been the hardest thing for this Minnesota team to do all year, and facing a Lakers team with their backs against the wall did not bode well for their chances.
So it was less of a surprise when the Timberwolves failed to score efficiently right out of the gate in this one. However, the manner in which LA stepped up their defensive intensity was still a bit shocking, and it was something they knew they had to accomplish going in.
In Game 1, Minnesota generated 42 three-point attempts that were all classified as either open or wide-open. Redick lamented his team's physicality following the contest. "It’s not to say our guys weren’t mentally ready, but I’m not sure physically we were," the Lakers' coach said.
The Lakers' defense completely stifled the Timberwolves
Addressing this massive weak point was clearly a point of emphasis for the Lakers, and Redick said his team had their best practice "in months" leading up to Game 2. This gives us a lot more context behind the Timberwolves' 38% shooting mark on Tuesday evening, which included a 20% mark (5-for-25) from three-point territory.
As the game unfolded, things never got easier for Anthony Edwards and the Wolves. Foul trouble for guys like Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo certainly hurt Minnesota's overall offensive plan, but it is hard to ignore the effects of the Lakers' defense as well.
Not suprisingly given the nature of his game, Julius Randle was one of the Wolves' biggest bright spots. But at the end of the night, Minnesota still finished just 2-for-8 at the rim. "It was a super physical game, we knew that was coming," Chris Finch said. "Julius was really good playing through all the contact and all the fouls."
Ironically, tough-nosed team defense is what Minnesota has been hanging their hats on for much of this season. But when the final buzzer sounded in Game 2 with the score 94-85, it marked the single lowest point total the Timberwolves had reached in any game all year, as well as the least points surrendered by the Lakers in 2024-25.
When the third game of this series tips off on Friday night, we are likely to be in for another slug fest. The Lakers now have the confidence of knowing they can throw the Wolves off by matching their physicality, and Minnesota will be eager to avenge their mistakes. Oh, and just a reminder: The winner of Game 3 in a 1-1 series advances to the next round 73% of the time.