First round out! Doncic 28+7+9 James 22+7+6 The Lakers were eliminated by the Timberwolves 1-4

On May 1, Beijing time, the Lakers returned to their home court to face the Timberwolves in the first round of the 2024-25 NBA playoffs in the first round of the West, G5, and the Lakers fell behind 1-3 in the first four games. In G5, Finney Smith replaced Hayes into the starting lineup, which was also the first time that the Lakers adjusted the starting lineup in this series. In the end, the Lakers lost to the Timberwolves 96-103, and the series was eliminated by the Timberwolves with a score of 1-4, and the opponent of the Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals was the winner between the Warriors and the Rockets.

Statistics

Lakers: James 22 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals, Doncic 28 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists, Hachimura 23 points, Reaves 12 points

Timberwolves: Edwards 15 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals, Randle 23 points, Gobert 27 points and 24 rebounds

Background

The Timberwolves won two home games in a row to go 3-1 and have a 20-5 record since March 2, including the playoffs. In G4, Edwards showed a full star style, hitting 5 three-pointers and finishing with 43 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Also, in the fourth quarter, the Lakers shot 27.8 percent from the field, while the Timberwolves shot 45.5 percent. The Lakers have failed to reclaim a home-court advantage in Minnesota and are now being pushed to the brink. In G4, Doncic scored 38 points, James relied on 18 free throws to get a quasi-triple-double, but no one else on the bench contributed except for Finney Smith with six points. It is worth mentioning that so far in this series, the Lakers bench has averaged 7.4 points per game, while Reed alone has scored 13.8 points on the Timberwolves bench.

Game recap

After the opening, the Lakers, who had changed formations, couldn't find their offensive rhythm for a long time, and only scored one goal in the athletic battle for four and a half minutes. The Timberwolves, on the other hand, played smoothly and got off to a great 21-9 start. Finney Smith's dunk and Reaves' three-pointer couldn't stop the Timberwolves from moving forward. At the end of the first quarter, the Timberwolves led the Lakers 31-22. James opened the second quarter with a morale-boosting dunk, and after a few rounds, James used his physical advantage to play 2+1. After a wave of 12-5 counterattacks, the Lakers chased it to 34-36. The Timberwolves will not show weakness, and they will fire inside and outside to extend the advantage to 10 points again. At 1:1 mark, Doncic was fouled by DiVincenzo on a layup and injured his lower back when he landed, insisting on returning to the locker room after the free throw. At halftime, the Lakers trailed the Timberwolves 49-59.

In the second half, James scored three goals in a row, Doncic and Hachimura also made frequent contributions, and after a wave of 16-7 counterattacks, the Lakers overtook the score 79-77. At the critical moment, with Gobert's two shots, the Timberwolves led the Lakers 81-80 at the end of the third quarter. In the last quarter, the two sides alternately took the lead. At 3:29, Randle hit a throw, and the Timberwolves regained a five-point advantage. After returning from a timeout, James hit a three-pointer with the assistance of Doncic to help the Lakers survive. Randall and Edwards responded immediately. At 1:42, Hachimura hit another three-pointer, but Conley returned the color in the same way. With Reaves and Vincent unsuccessful, the Lakers were eventually eliminated by the Timberwolves.

Both sides start

Lakers: LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Finney Smith

Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley