On Thursday, there were LOUD rumblings that president Tim Connelly was open to moving the Wolves’ second round pick, which was the first pick of the new round (31st overall). Not only did Minnesota find a trade partner for their 31st pick, but Connelly had more up his sleeve too.

Phoenix Suns give Minnesota Timberwolves great value for No. 31

Ultimately, the Phoenix Suns came calling with the best deal on the table, trading the Timberwolves No. 36 overall, along with a pair of future second rounders, netting Connelly tremendous value for nothing more than moving back five spots.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are trading the first pick in tonight’s NBA draft — No. 31 — to the Phoenix Suns for No. 36 and two future second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. Suns continue rebuild by moving up to 31 and 41 in draft — send out 36, 52, 59 and two future seconds.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 26, 2025

Related: ESPN Expert Crowns Wolves as 1st Round NBA Draft Winner

With the first pick in the second round, Phoenix took St. Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming, who most expected to go somewhere after pick 15 in round one. The trade allowed Minnesota additional ammunition, which Connelly turned around and traded again.

Lakers trade for MN Timberwolves 36th pick

It came down to the wire, with the Minnesota Timberwolves using up all of their time on the clock. But in the end, Connelly opted against picking at 36 as well, instead opting to trade the pick to the Los Angeles Lakers for the 45th pick and some straight cash homie.

The Lakers sent No. 45 and cash to the Timberwolves, sources said. https://t.co/g9zjPtCNSt

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 27, 2025

Los Angeles ended up taking Arkansas forward Adou Thiero at 45. His selection came just after March Madness star Johni Broome from Auburn. At No. 45, Minnesota finally made their second draft pick of the week, selecting Australian big man, Rocco Zikarski.

On its face, moving back 9 spots just for cash considerations seems like an odd move, especially after the Wolves got such great value in their first deal of the night. But when you realize how up against the 2nd apron of the luxury tax Minnesota is… the deal starts to make more sense.

You could tell leading up to this matchup, from the moment he met with media after Minnesota took a 3-1 series lead after game four, to his practice presser earlier this week, and especially in his pregame meet up with media prior to game 5… that JJ Redick was feeling the pressure.

JJ Redick abruptly left the press conference after being asked whether he plans to rely on his Lakers assistant coaches for fourth-quarter substitutions. pic.twitter.com/M9n8HGXH9Q

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 1, 2025

Reporter: “As you watch the film, what do you recall about your thought process, in the moment, sticking with the five in the fourth quarter the other day? And is there an assistant or someone that you can maybe lean on tonight to try and get other players involved tonight…”

Redick: “Are you saying that because I am inexperienced and that was an inexperienced decision that I made? Do you think I don’t talk to my assistants about substitutions every single timeout?”

Reporter: “No, I just think a lot of coaches lean on their assistants in those situations…”

Redick: “As do I, every single time… [pause]… that’s a weird assumption.”

JJ Redick pregame press conference prior to game 5

Anyway… so that set the scene for Wednesday night’s all important game 5. Redick and the boys are frustrated. the Minnesota Timberwolves have a much deeper and more flexible roster than anything the Los Angeles Lakers can put on the court, something we’ll get into more later in this recap.

What We Learned – Minnesota Timberwolves vs Los Angeles Lakers (Gm 5)

Much like what we saw through the first four games of this series, the Timberwolves towered over the Lakers, dominating the glass on both sides, which allowed them all sorts of second chances on the offensive end. Had they been able to shoot at all in the first half, this series would have been over by halftime.

And that is where we will start. Here is what we learned about the MN Timberwolves in their game 5 series-sealing 103-96 win over the Lakers in front of all the LA stars gathered at Crypto.com Arena Wednesday night.

If only the Minnesota Timberwolves could have hit the broad side of a barn in the first half…

It took less than one minute into this game for the Minnesota Timberwolves to grab a six point lead Wednesday vs the Lakers. Shortly after that, the Wolves stretched their lead all the way out to 21-9. But then, their offense hit a brick wall… a sturdy one that they built with every outside brick they shot (and there were a bunch).

How bad was it? Well, the Wolves finished the first quarter 3-of-18 from three point land (12-of-28 FG). By the time the first half ended, it wasn’t much better: 6-of-30 3PT | 22-50 FG. Nonetheless, Minnesota held a 31-22 lead going into the second quarter and a 59-49 lead going into halftime.

Gobert 💪

He's got 11 PTS so far

(via @Timberwolves)pic.twitter.com/LA8H2DQpO2

— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) May 1, 2025

How did they do it? Because Rudy Gobert could not be stopped. That’s right, with his size advantage, Gobert was swallowing up rebounds on both offense and defense, and so much more, finishing the first half leading all scorers with 15 points, to go along with his 8 rebounds — four of which came on the offensive glass.

Related: First Take Driving Wolves Bandwagon: Declares Anthony Edwards > Luka and LeBron

In fact, Gobert was so good that, at halftime, one of his biggest haters — Shaquille O’Neal — was forced to admit that Rudy was the reason Minnesota was dominating the Lakers in the first half, despite their inability to shoot the basketball.

Shaq forced to eat his own words on Rudy Gobert at halftime tonight… and he did not handle it well. pic.twitter.com/CYRnkk0KIu

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) May 1, 2025

The domination in the paint continued all game, which eventually resulted in the best playoff game of Rudy Gobert’s career. The 7-foot Frenchman finished 12-of-15 with 27 points, 24 rebounds (9 offensive) and 2 blocks.

He was the best player in game five and pretty much single-handedly won the game for the Minnesota Timberwolves. With just a few minutes left, the Wolves were shooting 6-of-44 from deep and 39.3% from the field, most of which were made by Gobert.

In those final three minutes, the law of averages won out, the Timberwolves made a few shots, and the game was over. Ho-hum… that’s what happens in the NBA. The better team almost always wins a seven-game playoff series.

The MN Timberwolves were just the better team in this series

Of course, wins rarely come THAT easy for the any Minnesota team, let alone the Timberwolves in an elimination game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Wolves came out flat in the second half, and even while Luka Doncic was nursing an injury that forced him to leave the game at the end of the first half, they allowed the Lakers to claw back into the game.

The surge was led behind the shooting of secondary players like Rui Hachimura. But in the end, that was LA’s biggest problem in this entire series. In order to come back or take a lead… god forbid extend one, they needed everything to go right for them and everything to go wrong for the Wolves.

Related: Rapper Drake Betting BIG on the MN Timberwolves

Not only was Anthony Edwards the best player on the floor for most of this series, even though Luka and LeBron were on the court too, but once you get passed those three, the Timberwolves employed six of the next seven most talented.

That’s why JJ Redick felt like he had to play Los Angeles’ starting five for the entire second half in game four and why the Lakers never really stood a chance in this series. So yeah, they came back in that third quarter, but all it was going to take was the Timberwolves to not panic, wait for some shots to fall, and take home a series victory.

MIKE CONLEY WITH THE HUGE CORNER THREE 🎯pic.twitter.com/9iVMQzTibW

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 1, 2025

Once again, the Minnesota Timberwolves proved in this first round series vs the Los Angeles Lakers that they have the most dynamic roster 1-10 in the Western Conference, probably in the NBA. The Lakers, on the other hand, had probably the least dynamic. And we saw the results of a matchup like that play out right in front of our eyes over the past two weeks.

Now, the Wolves will await the winner of Golden State and Houston. The Warriors currently hold the lead in that series 3-2. If they can pull out one more victory, we will have one of the most intriguing playoff matchups in Minnesota history.

Not only will Anthony Edwards look to knock off yet another NBA legend, in Steph Curry, but notable Rudy Gobert hater Draymond Green and former Timberwolves imploder, Jimmy Butler would also be coming to town. Now, that would be fun.

But if that’s the analogy for game one, then game two would be equal to what happened the day Bonnie & Clyde’s run of terror finally ended. If you don’t know, let’s just say… it wasn’t pretty. And if you’re a Wolves fan who stayed up for game two late Tuesday night, the TV got difficult to watch at times.

What We Learned – Minnesota Timberwolves vs Los Angeles Lakers (Gm 2)

Not only were the Los Angeles Lakers better than the Minnesota Timberwolves in every facet of game two, especially in the first half, but they had some help from their referee friends too. Hindsight being 20/20, the Wolves — who eventually fell 94-85 — never stood a chance.

So, while the Wolves board their charter plane for an early morning flight back to Minneapolis, we’ll talk about what we learned during Tuesday night’s ugly game two loss.

Timberwolves were not ready for Lakers intensity to start game 2

The Lakers entered game two looking to set the tone early, which they certainly did. Right from tipoff, LeBron and the boys brought a different level of focus and intensity, ratcheting up their defense and pushing the pace on offense. And the Wolves weren’t ready, for whatever reason.

Step back.
Pump fake.
Ball fake.
Fadeaway.

LUKA PULLING OUT ALL THE TRICKS 😱 pic.twitter.com/dzL504PLCK

— NBA (@NBA) April 23, 2025

It’s rare we see these Wolves lose a game in the first quarter. No matter how far they fall behind, it’s tough to hold down a 2nd apron luxury taxed roster anchored by a superstar like Anthony Edwards. But in game two, the Lakers came out with one mission. Kill the Minnesota Timberwolves and do it as quickly as possible.

After the Wolves took a 4-2 lead with 9:42 remaining in the 1st quarter, LA launched an 11-1 run, making the score 13-5. Two and a half minutes later, it was 20-8… then 25-10… 30-13. Finally, the first quarter onslaught ended with the Los Angeles Lakers up 34-15.

From that point forward, no matter what the Minnesota Timberwolves did, they could not recover from LA’s opening bell haymaker, which nearly knocked them out cold all by itself. Of course, the Lakers got plenty of help from their friends, which didn’t help the Wolves’ cause.

NBA + Referees determined to get LA Lakers back in the series

Did you walk away from your TV in between the first and second quarter on Tuesday night, just to return and find out Naz Reid was already up to three fouls? It was almost like the refs were determined to put out the Naz Reid fire from game one before it could even spark back up.

Naz picked up his first foul with 1:35 remaining in the first quarter. He picked up his second less than two minutes into the 2nd quarter (10:07) and his third with less than a minute after that (9:16). Before Naz, though, they did the same thing to Donte DiVincenzo, who piled up three foul calls in the first quarter (7:37, 3:32, 00:29)

Related: Anthony Edwards Disciplined for Bragging About His ‘Size Advantage’ in LA

After sitting on the bench for the rest of the first half, DiVincenzo was subbed back in with 8:03 remaining in the 3rd quarter. He was whistled for his fourth foul 23 seconds later.

Thankfully, we are in the age of replay, which saved the Wolves twice in a row during the third quarter from calls that were so egregious that the NBA had to reverse them when challenged by Chris Finch. Still, it’s hard enough to beat Luka Doncic when he’s cooking like he was Tuesday. If the refs are against you too, good luck.

Julius Randle blocks Austin Reaves and gets called for the foul (with replays).
Chris Finch successfully challenges the call on the floor.
2nd consecutive successful challenge by the Timberwolves. pic.twitter.com/wepiH27ENK

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) April 23, 2025

This was called an offensive foul on Julius Randle and the basket did not countpic.twitter.com/Ovk2qUS24p

— Pikkit (@pikkitsports) April 23, 2025

You might hear and read, over the next couple days, that game two was a lot more competitive after the first quarter. Unfortunately, it was hard to tell in real time because every single run the Minnesota Timberwolves tried to make, the referees were there to help squash it. Whether they were missing calls against LA or making questionable ones on the Wolves… the refs were determined to make game two about them.

Former Wolves guard Jeff Teague said on his podcast this week that there was no way the NBA would let this series get to 1-1. He was right, they even deployed the referee crew that statistically-speaking would be the most likely to bring the Lakers a victory in game two.

No doubt, don't tell me this league isn't rigged. Crew chief James Capers, just happens to be the ref that the Lakers have the best playoff win% and most FTA's of any ref that's reffed at least 10 Lakers playoff games. Good luck Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/o6uLindG0d

— merkin_muffly (@merkin_muffly) April 23, 2025

Throughout the second half, Minnesota tried showed some fight, multiple times threatening to cut the Lakers double-digit lead into single-digits. But for reasons already mentioned, building steam was next to impossible.

Timberwolves offered nothing offensively beyond Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle

Any momentum the Wolves did muster on Tuesday came behind the efforts of Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, the only two Wolves who scored in double figures. When Ant gets going, there’s nobody more exciting in the league. He’s quite literally unguardable. Get in the way of HIM and the rim at your own risk, too.

ANTHONY EDWARDS POSTER MY GOODNESS. 🔥🔥🔥🔥

pic.twitter.com/95YSnC8joU

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 23, 2025

Ant finished with 25 points. 6 rebounds and 0 assists. But the most important player on the Minnesota Timberwolves in game two might have been Julius Randle. Many of us, myself included, have judged and questioned the Randle acquisition all season, as Chris Finch have struggled to fit him into their scheme.

At the end of the day, we know Tim Connelly traded Karl-Anthony Towns for Randle mostly due to present and future financial/luxury tax reasons. But the further we go along in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the more I come to appreciate the bigger-picture view for bringing in Julius Randle.

Related: Experts are Wrong: Lakers Don’t Have the Talent to Hang with Timberwolves

He’s a leader. When the Wolves need to be woken up or it’s time to get serious, it’s clear Julius Randle is the guy who gets them back on task. And boy oh boy did the MN Timberwolves need every bit of his production and veteran presence in game two, even if it was all for not, in the end.

Not only did Randle put up a team-high 27 points, to go with his 6 assists and 4 rebounds, but he repeatedly has been the guy next to Ant who the Timberwolves can rely on when they need a bucket or a big stop.

Julius Randle stepback 3 over LeBron James pic.twitter.com/upaRCt1p25

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) April 23, 2025

In game three, the Minnesota Timberwolves will need more from everyone else, though. If the Lakers make the Wolves into a two-man operation, like they were on Tuesday, it’ll be very difficult to win. Like we saw in game one, Minnesota needs to win with their depth and versatility. That is what they hold over the Lakers.

But not in game two, where Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, Nickeil Alexander Walker, Rudy Gobert and Jade McDaniels COMBINED for only 31 points on the night. This team needs to come into Target Center ready to play in game three, unlike what we saw Tuesday.

It should help that the NBA’s mission to keep the Lakers in the playoffs shouldn’t be quite as desperate, being the series is now tied, 1-1. Game three is scheduled for Friday at 8:30 p.m CDT.

Young superstar Anthony Edwards played one of the most mature games of his career, on the floor. The Lakers made it a point to slow him down, so the 3x All-Star took what the LA defense gave him, dishing out 9 assists and grabbing 8 rebounds to go with his 22 points.

Meanwhile, Ant’s teammates Naz Reid (23 points) and Jaden McDaniels (25 points) had career performances. But there were moments during Edwards’ showing in Los Angeles Saturday that probably wouldn’t be viewed by most as “mature”.

Related: What We Learned About the Wolves in Dominant Game One Win Over Lakers

For example, there was that time in the second half when Anthony Edwards and some of his teammates were waiting to check back in. That’s when Rudy Gobert starting hearing chirps from Lakers fans near the scorer’s table. Ant wasn’t having any of that.

Anthony Edwards brags about his size advantage…

Like any good team leader, Edwards stepped in to defend his oft-criticized big man. His first response to the trolling Lakers fans was to remind them how much money Gobert makes. When that didn’t slow the hecklers down, Ant went back into his bag and pulled out his package… size. Yes, that’s right.

DAWG ANTHONY EDWARDS DON’T CARE AT ALL LMAOO

To heckling Lakers fans:

“He got 200 million.”

“My d*ck bigger than yours.”

😭😭
pic.twitter.com/Y5FSwfqxbR

— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) April 21, 2025

Oh, the old “mine is bigger than yours” argument, a classic defense-mechanism built into any confident man’s arsenal. I can’t say that’s where I would have predicted that conversation between Anthony Edwards and LA Lakers fans ending, but knowing Ant from afar, I can’t say I was all that surprised when these videos surfaced.

At the end of the day, this is a 23-year-old kid who still has a lot of years worth of dumb decisions left to make. Off the court, we’ve seen his propensity for womanizing, a “talent” that has resulted in multiple children with different women. Obviously, that doesn’t give credence to his claim to fans near the Crypto.com scorers table over the weekend, but it certainly doesn’t hurt his argument, either.

Minnesota Timberwolves superstar fined for comparing package sizes

No matter, NBA officials weren’t impressed. On Tuesday, the league announced the were fining Anthony Edwards $50,000 for his “my d— is bigger than yours” comments toward Laker fans on Saturday. Thankfully, it’s not worse punishment than that, because the Wolves cannot afford to lose Ant for game two..

The NBA is fining Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards $50,000 for his “my d— bigger than yours” comments to the Lakers crowd Saturday night, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 22, 2025

Remember, the NBA recently rescinded Edwards’ 18th technical foul, which would have led to his suspension for a very important regular season game 82, that the Minnesota Timberwolves needed to win to secure their spot in the playoff bracket and outside the play-in tournament.

After LA acquired Luka Doncic at the trade deadline, the NBA world saw the tandem between him and LeBron James as too much star power that the Wolves to handle. Of course, that’s all pre-series chatter. Nobody knows what is going to happen in a playoff series until games are actually played.

The MN Timberwolves proved that tonight. Sure, Anthony Edwards is the only player on the Wolves roster who will ever be mentioned in the same sentence as either Doncic or James. It was up to Minnesota to prove that their “secondary” talent could make up for the discrepancy at the top of the depth chart.

What we learned about the Minnesota Timberwolves in game one

Of course, that didn’t negate what the Timberwolves need from Edwards in this series. There’s a reason he’s looked at as the next face of the league. Playing against two of the biggest stars in the NBA, and arguably the greatest player of all time, this series is his chance to take the LA spotlight for himself.

After riding the wave his teammates created during the first three quarters, Anthony Edwards did just that in the fourth and the Minnesota Timberwolves upset the Los Angeles Lakers 117-95 to take game one of this spotlight series. Here’s what we learned about the Wolves and their chances to win this first round set.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are too deep for the LA Lakers

Both Anthony Edwards and Luka Doncic went to the bench at the start of the second quarter. At that point, the Lakers had jumped out to an early 28-21 lead, entering the second quarter, both Anthony Edwards and Luka Doncic went to the bench. What happened next may have been like looking into a keyhole into the rest of this series.

With Luka on the bench and LeBron James struggling to assert himself offensively (more on that momentarily), the Wolves bench started to show off its depth, scoring 15 of the game’s next 17 points to take a 35-30 lead with 8:52 remaining. It wouldn’t get much better for the Lakers from there, either.

Related: Experts are Wrong: Lakers Don’t Have the Talent to Hang with Timberwolves

Behind the hot outside shooting of — not Anthony Edwards — but Naz Reid (17 points) and Jaden McDaniels (19 points), the Minnesota Timberwolves pushed their lead all the way to 11 points by the end of the first half, then up past 20 points midway through the third quarter.

HOLLYWOOD NAZ. 📸 pic.twitter.com/cWGC9mDbN7

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 20, 2025

Eventually, LeBron James got going for the Lakers, but he didn’t score his first points until well into the second quarter. With 6:27 remaining in the 3rd, the Wolves had pushed their lead all the way to 26 points. Ant had 14 of them, the rest of his team had 66.

LA, meanwhile, had just 21 of their 56 points scored by players not named Luka Doncic or LeBron James. As I predicted before this series started, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ depth is going to be a huge problem for the Los Angeles Lakers in this series.

When the dust settled, Reid contributed 23, McDaniels 25. Julius Randle added 16, Donte DiVincenzo 9, Mike Mike Conley 9 and Nickeil Alexander-Walker another 7 points. Outside of their big three (James, Doncic and Reeves), no Laker posted more than 9 points (Rui Hachimura). Nobody else scored more than 5, and that came from Dalton Knecht’s 3 minutes of mop up time.

The Timberwolves are too big for the Lakers

All of the national media pundits entered this series talking about the Minnesota Timberwolves size as if it was going to hurt them against the perimeter threesome of LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves.

But just like we found out in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, when they swept the Phoenix Suns, the Wolves have answers both offensively and defensively, when opponents try to go small on them. On Saturday night, we saw that play out yet again.

The only 7-footer that the Lakers play regularly is Jaxson Hayes. And while the 24-year-old big man out of Texas started game one, he didn’t play much, limited to only 8 minutes on the evening. If LA head coach JJ Reddick can’t trust Hayes to play big minutes in this series, it could pose yet another huge problem for the Lakers.

👌👌👌 pic.twitter.com/OYPB9kihMj

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 20, 2025

BIG RU. BIG SLAM. pic.twitter.com/w8s8VQf0nl

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 20, 2025

Not only do the Wolves have size, but they have versatile size. If they need to bang down low or run screen and roll actions, Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle are two of the best in the league, depending on how you want to get the ball into the paint.

But if Minnesota needs to play “small”, enter two different types of tweener big men, Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid — both of whom are 6’9″ with wingspans that push 7-feet — that went off Saturday night for a combined 48 points, 27 (9-of-12) of which came from three-point land.

No matter how the Los Angeles Lakers try to play, the Timberwolves appear to have answers and that has to be troubling for those hoping to see a playoff run in Hollywood.

Anthony Edwards showed up when needed, but…

Let’s touch on Anthony Edwards, who had a very up-and-down game one. He started out slow, and just a reminder from earlier in this article, the Minnesota Timberwolves took control of this game while he was on the bench in the second quarter.

He went 8-of-22 on the night, and scored 22 points, coming in behind both McDaniels and Reid. On Saturday, the Wolves didn’t really need Ant to be great because everyone around him played so well. And he helped everywhere else, too, grabbing 9 rebounds and dealing 8 assists.

your favorite player's favorite player. pic.twitter.com/0C49p0jnth

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 20, 2025

However, the Wolves cannot expect that to continue all series. Anthony Edwards will have to be far-and-away their best player in game two, if Minnesota is going to fly back to the Twin Cities with a 2-0 lead in this series.

Related: LA Lakers Legend Scared of the Minnesota Timberwolves for One Reason…

Still, when the Timberwolves needed a big shot — like when the Lakers went on a mini-run to end the third quarter and start the fourth — Ant was there to hit to answer the call. This, after leaving the game with cramps in the third, and being listed as “questionable” to return.

But with just under 11 minutes remaining, Edwards arrived at the scorer’s table. Immediately upon re-entry, he put a stop to the Lakers run, scoring five of the Wolves’ next 8 points and assisting on the other three.

barbecue chicken. pic.twitter.com/OGIrb2FgHb

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 20, 2025

From then on out, the game was mostly out of reach. But in game two, the Minnesota Timberwolves will need Anthony Edwards to be ready to dominate from the tip.

Experts all picking Los Angeles Lakers over Minnesota Timberwolves

It’s that 2-on-1 Laker mismatch over the Wolves in true star power that has the big names in national NBA media almost unanimously picking the 3-seed LA Lakers to win this first round series.

A deeper dive into more expert picks at more of the mainstream sports media outlets (below) shows how little chance the national media is giving Minnesota to win this series. Out of 46 experts tallied between six different national media outlets, 40 picked the Lakers to win, only 6 picked the Timberwolves.

• ESPN – 11 of 12 experts picked Lakers to win series — (only Bontemps picked Timberwolves)
• CBS Sports – 5 of 5 experts picked Lakers to win series
• BetMGM (The Athletic) – 6 of 7 experts picked Lakers to win series
• Yahoo Sports – 6 of 7 experts picked Lakers to win series
• USA Today Sports – 4 of 4 experts picked Lakers to win series
• NBA.com/TNT – 8 of 11 experts picked Lakers to win series

So what gives, are the Minnesota Timberwolves really that outmatched in this series? A look beyond the stars makes you wonder if these “experts” really dug into this series at all.

Lakers lack talent behind big three

Because once you get beyond LeBron, Luka and their extremely talented third-wheel, Austin Reeves (20.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.8 APG), there isn’t another player on roster that most NBA fans could pick out in a lineup of random six to seven-footers. Below is a table of Lakers contributors who will get big minutes in round one vs the Timberwolves.

Just like I left Reeves off, along with Doncic and James, you will not find the Timberwolves’ other two max players, Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle (or Edwards) on the table either. These are “the other” players both teams will be relying on in this series.

As you can see, the Minnesota Timberwolves have three other players — Jaden McDaniels, Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid — averaging above 10 points per game this season. That doesn’t include Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is averaging 9.4 points per game.

That’s seven Wolves players who averaged over 9 points per game this season, most of them names that are recognizable in the NBA world. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers have only one player — Rui Hachimura — averaging double-digit points, outside of LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Related: LA Lakers Legend Scared of the Minnesota Timberwolves for One Reason…

Behind those four, Dorian Finney-Smith’s 7.9 PPG is the highest average scorer. Nobody else on the Lakers roster is responsible for more than 7 points per game in 2024-25. Many of the others didn’t even see the floor prior to the shocking blockbuster trade that landed Doncic in LA.

MN Timberwolves have proven they can dominate with size

The Minnesota Timberwolves proved last season, in a first round sweep of the Phoenix Suns, that not only can they play with small-ball lineups, but they can use their enormous size advantage to completely dominate them inside.

In order for the Lakers to win this series, LeBron James will have to be money from deep, because the Wolves are going to make it next to impossible for him to get into the paint with Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert down low supervising things. In all honesty, I do not believe LeBron and the Lakers are ready for the intensity Minnesota is going to bring defensively.

Minnesota Timberwolves outstanding team defense pic.twitter.com/nCaaNffUWk

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) March 13, 2025

Sure, LeBron james is arguably the greatest player of all time and he has certainly improved his outside shot in recent seasons, but the self-proclaimed “King” shot a “meh” 37% from three this year (34.9% career).

That’s not saying this won’t be a very competitive series. Luke and LeBron will make sure of that. But as long as Antyhony Edwards plays like the superstar he is and the Minnesota Timberwolves are able to use their size and depth to their advantage, I just cannot see this paper-thin Lakers roster hanging with the Wolves in a seven-game series.

Prediction: Timberwolves in 6

Ultimately, their 49-33 record landed the Wolves the 6th seed in the West playoff bracket, setting them up for a first round date with LeBron James, Luka Doncic the new-look Los Angeles Lakers. Anthony Edwards has new running mates, this time around, in his first postseason without KAT by his side.

Chris Finch’s squad closed out the season on a good note, thanks to two separate eight and five game winning streaks, over their final 20 games. Those wins allowed Minnesota to narrowly escape the 2025 NBA play-in tournament.

Magic Johnson knows Minnesota Timberwolves Anthony Edwards is a star

Few people know the game of basketball, or the Los Angeles Lakers, better than 13-year veteran and NBA Hall of Famer Earvin Magic Johnson. The 5x NBA champion, 12x All-Star and 10x All-NBA point guard also knows a thing or two about winning.

And when Magic looks at the matchup in round one between the Timberwolves and Lakers, his palms get sweaty. Why, because the Minnesota Timberwolves have THE new NBA superstar on their team, in Anthony Edwards.

I’m scared for my Lakers because the game’s most exciting player, superstar Anthony Edwards, is a matchup problem.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 18, 2025

Anthony Edwards played 79 games for the third straight season. His 27.6 points per game were a career-high, and he led the league with 320 three-pointers. He worked heavily on his perimeter game this offseason and the 39.5% from deep was a new career-best.

Related: Kevin Garnett Unsure About Return to MN — Thinking Bigger Than Timberwolves

When going right, Edwards has the ability to take over a game. He can get downhill and attack the rim. He can beat a defender off the dribble, and he can quickly pull up for a deep ball. The Lakers will have to knock the 23-year-old off his game or Magic is right, it could be a long series for Lake Show.

As Johnson alludes to, Edwards could create matchup issues for Los Angeles. If he’s able to get going, then the Lakers may be in trouble. By drawing additional attention Edwards should also expect to see teammates in spots to contribute.

ANTHONY EDWARDS THIS SEASON:

🔥 27.4 PPG (career high)
🎯 39.4% from 3-point (career high)
📊 1 of 5 players to ever make 300 threes in a season pic.twitter.com/uO0RtxYwPG

— NBA (@NBA) April 10, 2025

Being underdogs doesn’t necessarily mean anything to these Timberwolves. They played that role against the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets last year while knocking both off. It wasn’t until they were favored against the Dallas Mavericks where they came up short.

Anthony Edwards empowering Timberwolves teammates

Sometimes it’s difficult to remember that Anthony Edwards is just 23 years old. Despite his youth, he is the unquestioned leader of the Minnesota Timberwolves. He knows that and has embraced that role this season. Part of leadership is knowing when to take over and when to step back.

Early indications out of the Wolves locker room have Ant ready to empower his teammates, if the Lakers decide to focus all of their time and energy on defense stopping him. Edwards will need his supporting cast to cash in on their opportunities, when the defense is keyed on him (which will be early and often).

Asked Nickeil Alexander-Walker what Anthony Edwards has been like this week in practice.

"He's kinda humbly taken that step back to say, 'listen, this might not be the Ant series because I'm gonna need you guys because of how they're gonna play me' … Making sure everyone is… pic.twitter.com/MwRA3vGKOB

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) April 17, 2025

“Intense, motivated, determined. You can see that he’s really imposing his leadership and getting guys involved. Very, very vocal and giving out confidence for what to expect. I think it’s important that all of us have that mindset of being ready and staying ready.”

Nickeil Alexander-Walker on Anthony Edwards in practice this week

The Timberwolves will need key role players to be contributors if they want to win this series. Donte DiVincenzo came over from the New York Knicks and has settled into his place with Minnesota. He has averaged 11.7 points per game this year, and his ability to provide a spark has been noticeable in multiple contests.

Related: Nuggets Want Tim Connelly Back; Should Timberwolves be Concerned?

Big man Naz Reid is in line for a new contract this offseason and he deserves the payday. After winning Sixth Man of the Year last season, he is averaging a career-best 14.2 points per game and remains lethal from deep. His ability can stretch the Lakers smaller lineup and he must be someone Edwards can count on to hit shots.

The series should be a lot of fun, and it the Timberwolves can figure out a way to knock out the Lakers, their confidence will only grow. At their best, Minnesota is right their atop the Western Conference. They have to find and hold onto that for the next couple of weeks.

But that’s not the case anymore, not with Anthony Edwards in Minnesota, one season removed from a run to the Western Conference Finals. This year, you will see the Wolves play tonight, and again on Christmas, etc. If it’s a marquee day of matchups for the NBA, you can expect the Timberwolves to be involved.

Oddsmakers doubting the Minnesota Timberwolves vs Los Angeles Lakers

The Wolves have the 2nd best odds to win the Western Conference, as of today (+500). Their opponent, the Los Angeles Lakers have the 7th best odd (+1800). But tonight, even though both teams are fully stocked, oddsmakers have Wolves vs Lakers as pretty much a pick-em. Well, not anymore.

As of 1:15 PM, Minnesota is a -1 point favorite at all major sportsbooks. ESPN Bet has them as 1.5 point favorites, a number that has held for days. The same cannot be said at FanDuel, where you could get the Timberwolves as +1 point underdogs this morning. Yes, underdogs. I actually snuck that one in (oh good for me).

No way the Lakers beat the Wolves… right?

Let’s put aside the fact that this line has been so fluid throughout the day, Tuesday. This is either a trap game, or the easiest money that Minnesota Timberwolves fans will make all year. If Anthony Edwards and the new-look Wolves walk into crypto.com Arena tonight and lay an egg vs the Lakers… I will worry about the rest of this season.

Related: When Anthony Edwards Switches to Football He’s Playing Defense

Remember, the Lakers have a new head coach and plan on playing Bronny James off the bench. I just cannot imagine a legitimate reality where an aging Lebron James, JJ Redick and the Lakers outduel Chris Finch, Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight. But I have been wrong before so don’t listen to me. This article is not betting advice.

Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker all played 10 minutes each. Joe Ingles played 11 and even Mike Conley got in 8 first half minutes, before the Wolves’ 37-year-old leader called it a night. Most of the minutes went to Josh Minott (29), Luka Garza (22), rookie – Terrence Shannon Jr (27) and rookie – Rob Dillingham (25).

Minnesota Timberwolves dominate Los Angeles Lakers in preseason opener

From start to finish, this was mostly a Minnesota Timberwolves beatdown of the LA Lakers, who didn’t have LeBron James or Anthony Davis playing. The Wolves top unit jumped out to a big lead in the first quarter, and passed that off to a 2nd unit that almost buried LA before this contest even got to halftime.

PERFECT 🤌 pic.twitter.com/lycwHo4WK1

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) October 5, 2024

With 10:09 remaining in the 2nd quarter, Minnesota took a 46-25 lead on a Josh Minott 3-pointer, making it feel like the night might get way out of hand. It didn’t. The Lakers made a comeback late in the 2nd quarter, and into the 3rd, even cutting the Wolves lead to two points (82-80), with 3:12 remaining in the period.

The Minnesota Timberwolves then got their flow back, thanks to rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrance Shannon Jr, along with 3rd year former 2nd round pick, Josh Minott, who showed off a lot of skill and rare size to go with it (see below). When the dust settled in Palm Springs, the Timberwolves walked away exhibition victors, 124-107.

But who cares about preseason scores or results. Let’s talk about what we really learned about the Wolves in their preseason opener.

Lesson 1. Donte DiVincenzo might be the biggest key in KAT trade

I am not making this a key, just to be hyperbolic. Night in, and night out, casuals who watch the Minnesota Timberwolves play — and those who just check box scores or watch highlight clips — are going to see Julius Randle.

The guy’s a walking double/double who can get his own shot and act as a secondary takeover option on a nightly basis. If there is too much defensive focus on Anthony Edwards or if he isn’t available, for whatever reason, Julius Randle will be Minnesota’s go-to guy for offense.

Related: Timberwolves Get More (Familiar) Talent Back in KAT Trade

But it took one half of exhibition basketball for Donte DiVincenzo to display exactly why President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly demanded he be part of the return package for KAT. DiVincenzo started, in place of Anthony Edwards.

The brand new 27-year-old Wolf went 4-of-4 from the field and 3-of-3 from deep, finishing with 11 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist, in his 10 first half minutes. He showed a level of playmaking ability that most Wolves fans will be surprised by, and even in the preseason, brought a tenacity and IQ on defense that you could see just watching on TV.

do your thing, Donte. 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/EjGtcv97sR

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) October 5, 2024

OK WE SEE YOU DONTE 🫣 pic.twitter.com/wXZXqoVD62

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) October 5, 2024

The Minnesota Timberwolves desperately needed competent guard depth during the offseason. Drafting Rob Dillingham was a good start and sets the franchise up in the future.

To be a legitimate title contender, though, the Wolves needed a really good guard off the bench who can play lockdown defense, handle the ball and score in multiple ways. I’m not sure Tim Connelly could have found a better player to insert into that role than DiVincenzo.

Lesson 2: Josh Minott might be taking the next step for Minnesota Timberwolves

There were a few Minnesota Timberwolves players who stuck out on Friday night, in a way that others didn’t. Luka Garza was his normal productive self (7/13, 20 PTS, 9 REB, 1 STL, 1 AST), but he did not look like the dominant force we often see when he goes up against 3rd tier NBA talent.

Part of that was due to the talent on display all around him, including out on the perimeter, with Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr (more on them momentarily). But also, right next to him. 6’8″ 2022 2nd round pick Josh Minott, out of Memphis, was in his bag last night.

Related: Knicks Finally Made a Trade Offer for KAT that Timberwolves Could Not Refuse

He was hitting from deep, driving to the hole, elevating to the rim from multiple different angles and blocking shots from the inside and outside on defense. He finished 9-of-11 for 22 points, which led the team. His only two misses were three-pointers… but he made four others, finishing 4-of-6 from downtown. He also added 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks.

WHY NOT MINOTT pic.twitter.com/GuQh4Jfhjr

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) October 5, 2024

THROW IT DOWN, JOSH 😤 pic.twitter.com/nJ8sNMdSCL

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) October 5, 2024

Every time the Lakers charged back, Minott would drive through the lane with a monstrous dunk or drop a 3-pointer to halt all of LA’s momentum. We knew Minott’s development was going well, but he showed a level to his game on Friday night that most Minnesota Timberwolves fans didn’t know existed.

Lesson 3: Rob Dillingham is going to be a stud and should contribute immediately

I would imagine their playing time will fluctuate, depending on how they are playing at certain points throughout the grueling NBA season. But there is no doubt that 2024 No. 8 overall pick Rob Dillingham and No. 27 pick, Terrence Shannon Jr are good enough to help the Wolves now.

• Rob Dillingham vs Lakers: 25 Min | 9/20 FG | 3/6 3PT | 21 PTS | 4 AST | 1 REB | +10 +/-

No doubt, Rob Dillingham is streaky, and he will have some growing pains to work though. He’s noticeably shorter than everyone else on the floor and he isn’t an elite defender, by any means. But this dude’s playmaking ability is next level and something that I am not sure we have seen on the Minnesota Timberwolves since Stephon Marbury.

Related: Why Did the Minnesota Timberwolves Trade Karl-Anthony Towns?

Seriously, the Kentucky product is so quick-twitch, he’s usually gone before the defender can even react. That gives him an innate ability to get wherever he wants to go on the basketball floor, pretty much whenever he wants to get there.

8th overall pick Rob Dillingham came ready to play in his #NBAPreseason debut!

21 PTS
4 AST
3 3PM pic.twitter.com/4hQgKvSiAj

— NBA (@NBA) October 5, 2024

Despite the Lakers actually holding a lead for 75% of the series, Denver had no trouble dismantling Los Angeles in just five games. Now, they want to know Minnesota’s secret. How in the heck did Micah Nori get the Wolves to whoop the Nuggets in the first two games of the series, on the road, nonetheless?

The Lakers intend to find out.

“Yes, I can confirm that (Nori and Adelman) those are two of the Lakers’ candidates during this coaching search. I think both guys are quality candidates. I think if they are going the assistant coaching route, those would probably be my top two choices, and it sounds like the Lakers or at least some people with the Lakers feel the same way.”

Jovan Buha on Buha’s Block – Lakers showing interest in Micah Nori (9:15 minute-mark)

According to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, the Lakers are eyeing Nori and former Wolves assistant David Adelman for their current head coaching vacancy. The belief is that Nori and Adelman are the Lakers’ top two choices.

It’s no surprise to hear about the Lakers trying to poach Chris Finch’s top assistant. Nori has proven himself not only capable of leading a team in a pinch, but the players love him, too. He’s like a copycat of Coach Finch, playing both sides as a players coach and a hard-nosed disciplinarian, but the players really respond to his style and bubbly personality.

Coaching in Minnesota, Nori is a bit of a hidden gem, but Finchy’s unfortunate leg injury has allowed the spotlight to shine on a coach who deserves every bit of love he receives. It won’t be long until Nori’s leading an NBA team.

Related: Kevin Garnett Prophesized Timberwolves Gm 3 Loss, Soft Refs Included