When the playoff bracket dropped, plenty of folks saw the names LeBron James and Luka Doncic and figured the Lakers would cruise past a Minnesota team still trying to shed its "nice story" label. The flashy star power was there, they had the higher seed, and the narrative practically wrote itself. But there were cracks — especially in the frontcourt — and the Timberwolves wasted no time tearing them wide open.

Minnesota didn’t just win the series — they exposed a roster built more for headlines than hard-nosed playoff basketball. And now, the Lakers are staring at another long summer, while the Wolves are heading to the second round with their chests out and nothing to apologize for.

If the quick exit feels shocking, that’s only because our eyes kept drifting to the celebrity row in L.A. and the highlight reels featuring two generational scorers. Minnesota ignored the sizzle, dominated around the rim, and forced the league’s glitziest duo to watch the second round from the couch.

Where the Wolves Took Control and Never Let Go

Game 1 (Los Angeles) – Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95: Naz Reid torched L.A. for 23 off the bench, and Minnesota’s swarming D forced 18 turnovers to steal home‑court right away.

Game 2 (Los Angeles) – Lakers 94, Timberwolves 85: LeBron and Luka steadied the ship, grinding out a rock‑fight win that knotted things at one apiece while holding the Wolves to 38 percent shooting.

Game 3 (Minneapolis) – Timberwolves 116, Lakers 104: Anthony Edwards took over late — seven straight points in crunch time — to nudge Minnesota back in front 2‑1 as Target Center shook like it was 2004 all over again.

Game 4 (Minneapolis) – Timberwolves 116, Lakers 113: Down ten with eight minutes left, Edwards detonated for 43 in total, and Rudy Gobert’s put‑back with 51 seconds left punctuated a comeback that felt like a gut punch to L.A.’s season.

Game 5 (Los Angeles) – Timberwolves 103, Lakers 96: Gobert’s monster 27‑point, 24‑rebound close‑out against Redick’s center‑less look locked the door and sent the Lakers straight into offseason mode.

Key Takeaways the Box Score Can’t Scream Loud Enough

1. Minnesota Lived in the Paint Like Rent Was Free

The advanced numbers look like a typo: 223 Wolves shots in the paint versus 125 for L.A. Add it up and Minnesota attempted nearly two games’ worth of extra layups and hooks. They also made 58 more inside buckets. Put simply, Minnesota kept getting easy looks at the rim while the Lakers were stuck settling for tough jumpers. It felt like the same play over and over — Wolves driving straight to the cup, Lakers pulling up and hoping for a bailout bucket.

So why did Minnesota get so many more easy looks inside? It came down to three guys doing their jobs and doing them well — Rudy Gobert locking things down in the paint, Naz Reid crashing in from all angles, and Julius Randle making smaller defenders pay every time they switched onto him.

Meanwhile, the Lakers tried to get by with Rui Hachimura pretending to be a center, and let’s just say that didn’t exactly work out. When they finally gave Jaxson Hayes a look, he was so out of rhythm that he racked up a couple fouls almost instantly and headed right back to the bench. Minnesota just kept pounding away inside, and the Lakers never really had an answer.

2. Anthony Edwards Hit Another Gear — In Real Time

Back in 2022, when he made his playoff debut against Memphis, Ant dropped 25 a night and didn’t blink in big moments. In 2023, he upped it to 31.6 points per game against the eventual champion Nuggets. That run showed everyone he wasn’t afraid of the spotlight — even when the Wolves came up short.

Fast forward to 2024, and he helped Minnesota sweep the Suns while averaging 31-8-6, then followed that up with back-to-back 40-point games against Denver. He joined Kobe Bryant as one of the only players under 23 to do that in the playoffs. That’s not hype — it’s historical.

Now, here in 2025, Ant’s back at it. He averaged 26.8 points, 8.4 boards, and 6.2 assists in a first-round win over LeBron and Luka. More importantly, he keeps showing up when it matters most. Game 3’s takeover in crunch time. Game 4’s 43-point comeback. Even when the shots didn’t fall in Game 5, he hit the glass, moved the ball, and made the right reads.

This isn’t a guy who’s figuring it out anymore — he’s figured it out. He’s become one of the most consistent playoff performers in the league before his 24th birthday. There’s no more ‘rising star’ label needed. He’s here, and he’s built for this stage.

3. LeBron and Luka Were Heroic — But Alone

LeBron, 40 years young, still posted 28‑7‑6 for the series and dropped 38 in Game 3. Luka, between a stomach virus (Game 3) and a gnarly back tweak (Game 5), still averaged 30‑7‑6 and almost stole Game 4 with his own 38. They did what stars do; the rest of the cast did Halloween impressions.

Outside of Austin Reaves — a legit gamer who hit 20 in Game 3 — no Laker averaged 15+ points. Three‑point shooting wasn't great, hitting just 35 percent. Rebounding was non existent. It’s tough to spray drive‑and‑kick magic when the kick can't hit the broad side of a barn.

4. One Coach Pushed the Right Buttons; One Pushed Repeat

Chris Finch just kept pressing the right buttons for Minnesota. He threw in a little zone here and there to throw the Lakers off rhythm, managed his bigs well when they got in foul trouble, and nailed his challenge calls — two of them flipping key plays in Games 3 and 4.

JJ Redick had some good moments too — Game 2’s gameplan worked — but when it really mattered, he gambled on riding his starters the entire second half of Game 4. That move blew up. LeBron didn’t score in the fourth, Luka was clearly hurting, and the bench looked like they hadn’t moved in an hour. Even Magic Johnson chimed in afterward about the decision, tweeting:

I dont know if it smart to play LeBron and Luka the entire second half after only having one day of rest between Games 3 and 4. When we needed LeBron to take over in the fourth quarter he couldn’t - he scored 0 points in the fourth.

Heroes and Question Marks

Rudy Gobert – From Trade Punchline to Playoff Sledgehammer

When Minnesota gave up a haul for Rudy Gobert a couple years ago, people laughed. It became meme fuel for months. But now? It’s starting to look pretty smart.

Against the Lakers, Gobert was a wall at the rim. He forced them into tough floaters and awkward runners — shots they didn’t want to take and definitely didn’t practice often. On the other end, he crashed the glass and gave guys like Ant and Randle second chances that ended up swinging games.

Sure, he’s not built for guarding small-ball lineups that spread you out, but in a series like this — where size truly mattered — Rudy was a difference-maker. Simple as that.

LeBron James – Still Great, Not Superman

It’s wild watching LeBron still out there logging over 40 minutes a night in year 22. The guy’s still putting up numbers, still throwing down dunks, still doing LeBron things — but the wear and tear is catching up. That ankle tweak in Game 5 and the way his legs just weren’t there on late threes showed it. He can still carry you a long way, but he can’t cover up every flaw on a shaky roster. Not anymore.

Luka Doncic – Offensive Wizard, Defensive Target

Props to Luka for gutting it out — dropping 30 while battling a stomach bug and a sore back is no joke. But Minnesota knew exactly where to attack him. They kept mixing up their lineups and putting him in tough spots defensively, especially late in the shot clock.

Jaden McDaniels & Naz Reid – Minnesota’s Wildcards

McDaniels quietly had a big series. He put up 25 in Game 1 and followed it with 30 in Game 3, all while bouncing between guarding LeBron and Luka. That’s not an easy gig, but he didn’t flinch. Naz Reid chipped in whenever Gobert sat, knocking down open shots, flying in for boards, and just keeping the energy high.

Wolves’ Road Ahead, Lakers’ Fork in It

Minnesota vs. ?? – Warriors or Rockets

If it’s Golden State, you can expect a whole lot of small-ball and off-ball chaos. Gobert will have to stay sharp chasing shooters around, and McDaniels probably ends up glued to Steph most of the time — yikes.

If it’s Houston, things flip a bit. Minnesota’s size would be less of an advantage because they’d have to keep up with Jalen Green flying up and down the floor in transition. Either way, Minnesota's real advantage for Game 1 is rest. 

L.A.’s Laundry List

1. Frontcourt Reinforcements – Find a legit rim‑protector by any means necessary.

2. Minutes Management – LeBron cannot average 41 playoff minutes anymore. A rotation deeper than seven bodies is mandatory.

3. Luka’s Longevity – The back spasms aren’t new. There has to be some real soul searching this offseason to figure out how he can be better prepared to handle a full postseason run.

When the Better Team Acts Like It

Playoff basketball simplifies the sport. Rebounding, rim pressure, late‑game poise — if you don't check those boxes, your fancy TV contract or viral highlight clips don't mean squat. The Timberwolves checked all the boxes. They outmuscled, out‑talked, and eventually out‑ran a Lakers squad clinging to star power but missing the connective tissue great teams need.

So, was this a passing‑of‑the‑torch series? Maybe that’s a bit over the top. LeBron still defies Father Time, Luka’s offense is out of this world, and the West changes on a yearly basis. But for five games, Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and a fearless supporting cast showed how modern hoops looks when talent meets fit.

And if you’re wondering whether Minnesota’s success is sustainable, remember this: their best player is 23 and their defensive core is locked up. It might be time we all stop viewing them as a cute upset and start calling them what they just proved themselves to be — a legit Western Conference threat.

Stats courtesy of NBA.com.