Minnesota is 12.5 point favorites against a substantially depleted Indiana Pacers squad. Later this week the Timberwolves will welcome the Los Angeles Lakers for a rematch. They’ll be looking to avenge the drubbing from Friday night, but will have an easier matchup in doing so.

Luka Doncic to miss Minnesota Timberwolves contest

Through the first two games of the season Luka Doncic poured in a record 92 points, including 49 against Minnesota on Friday. Now dealing with multiple injuries, he’ll miss Wednesday’s rematch with the Timberwolves.

News from the Lakers

Lakers guard Luka Dončić has been diagnosed with a left finger sprain and lower left leg contusion. Dončić will be reevaluated in approximately one week.

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) October 26, 2025

There is no strict timetable for the Lakers to get Doncic back. The Lakers will re-evaluate their star in a week, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be immediately ready for a return to the court.

Doncic is coming off a season in which he was shockingly traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers. He joined LeBron James in the swap, and now neither will be present for the Target Center matchup. James is dealing with a nerve injury that is expected to sideline him for at least a month.

Chris Finch’s Timberwolves got blown off the court by Los Angeles and finished the game with the end of the bench getting into the game. Despite Anthony Edwards pouring in 31 points, he finished with a team-worst -17. The Timberwolves added injury to their insult in the process as Rob Dillingham made a 59 second appearance only to break his nose.

Minnesota won’t host the Lakers again this season. The two teams play their final matchup on March 10 in Los Angeles.

No matter what they did, LeBron James, Luka Doncic and JJ Redick had no answer for Anthony Edwards and his 2025 Timberwolves. That included working the refs… but that didn’t stop the Lakers from begging for calls all series long.

Early and often, both LA stars were sprawled out on the floor OR limping around holding a body part like it’s on the verge of falling off OR (my personal favorite) standing in shock with arms up in the air as if they just witnessed a murder.

LeBron James wasn’t faking injury vs Minnesota Timberwolves?

That brings us to late in game five, when LeBron James — who was on defense — floated towards the the top of the key where suddenly collided Donte DiVincenzo, who was on his way across the court to set a zone screen for Julius Randle, spotting up from three.

As he usually does, James went down in a heap, where he laid on the ground for minutes, as though his soul had just been snatched from his body. For most of us, it was just LeBron being LeBron. But apparently, he did sprain his MCL on the play.

During Game 5 of the Timberwolves/Lakers series, LeBron James reportedly suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee from this collision with Donte DiVincenzo pic.twitter.com/rSe8NPREG1

— Wolves Lead (@TWolvesLead) May 2, 2025

“James, who has played in an NBA-record 292 playoff games without missing one because of injury, assuredly would have had that streak snapped if L.A. were playing Game 6 in Minneapolis on Friday night.”

Dave McMenamin – ESPN

Per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, LeBron James’ MRI revealed a Grade 2 MCL sprain, stemming from his collision with DiVincenzo. That sort of injury generally requires 3-5 weeks to fully heal. With the Lakers eliminated from the playoffs, LeBron will have all the time he needs to get that knee back to full strength.

Related: MN Timberwolves President Pushes Back Against Rumors

James finished the final 7:23 of game five, but according to McMenamin, his record 292-straight playoff games streak would have been snapped, had the Los Angeles Lakers forced a game 6 vs the Minnesota Timberwolves.

It’s unfortunate that James suffered an injury on the play. However, he has so often made it a question as to whether or not he is actually hurt, that even his teammates continued to play on around him after the MCL sprain we discussing.

LeBron was peeking to make sure they were bringing out the stretcher pic.twitter.com/fEK3TNfJ0m

— Jack Leverentz (@Bossman_10K) April 24, 2025

LeBron shouldn’t be surprised that nobody thought he was actually hurt on the play (including his own teammates). Hell, the NBA created rules against flopping because players like James and others have exploited the tendencies of referees to call fouls for veteran superstars.

Timberwolves had Luka Doncic begging for sympathy too

While James actually suffered an injury, there was none to be reported for Luka Doncic. He went to the locker room briefly in game five, and announcers suggested a back injury akin to someone needing a wheelchair. Like LeBron, it’s difficult to evaluate while you’re always embellishing something.

Former Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverly didn’t hold back on calling out Doncic. The talented scorer still finished with a team-high 28 points on 7-of-18 shooting. He probably was hurting a bit, but his ego may have been the greatest problem against the Timberwolves.

Pat Bev says Luka was FAKING his back injury

(via @PatBevPod) pic.twitter.com/hHUUMJGKH6

— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) May 2, 2025

Luka has made a career of whining to referees. Minnesota fans saw it last year against the Dallas Mavericks, and they had to weather the storm this time around against Los Angeles.

It’s not as simple as suggesting that Doncic should lay off the fast food and get in shape. Then again, a player that talented has no reason to be as much of a conditioning liability as he is. The postgame show, led by Charles Barkley, took him to task in that regard.

Related: What We Learned About the MN Timberwolves in Series Clinching Win Over Lakers

Maybe the Lakers will be back, but they’ll need to rework the roster and continue to find the fountain of youth for LeBron. Here’s to hoping he heals well and Doncic grows up.

"LeBron don't play defense anymore. Luka can't guard a chair." – Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/TRtDTV7WoZ

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 1, 2025

J.J. Reddick pulled a Tom Thibodeau on Sunday and used just his five starters for the entire second half. James and Doncic have played out of their minds for most of this series, yet they cannot keep up with Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves, who have one of the deepest rosters in the league.

Kendrick Perkins says Minnesota Timberwolves have the better star

In the Timberwolves 116-113 victory on Sunday Anthony Edwards poured in 43 points while shooting 52% from the field. Former NBA big man Kendrick Perkins made his performance a talking point on First Take Monday. He sees a clear advantage for Minnesota over the Lakers and Luka.

“Ant is a better all-around basketball player than Luka Doncic." – @KendrickPerkins

pic.twitter.com/22u4m5axgL

— GopherHole.com (@GopherHole) April 28, 2025

“Watching the 4th quarter [in game 4], I saw what Nico Harrison was talking about when it comes down to why he traded Luka. He traded Luka because he felt the Dallas Mavericks were not going to be able to win a championship with Luka.

I didn’t feel that way watching the game, looking at Anthony Edwards. I’m saying to myself, Anthony Edwards is going to win a championship before Luka Doncic. Anthony Edwards is built different. Anthony Edwards is a better all-around basketball player than Luka Doncic.

Now, I could come here and blame JJ Redick, rightfully so, for the minutes he played LeBron James at 40 years old. But like I said, Luka is young. He should have been able to play those 24 minutes straight. Anthony Edwards did, and Anthony Edwards thrived in those minutes.

When I look at what he’s done, and what he’s doing, not only did he send [Kevin Durant] home last year, he sent (Nikola) Jokic home last year. He’s now about to send LeBron and Luka home this season, because [the Wolves] are going to win this series. And think about this for a second, in the next round he could possibly be facing Steph Curry.”

Kendrick Perkins – First Take

While the Lakers were still licking their wounds from the comeback defeat by Minnesota on Sunday, it was head coach J.J. Reddick whining about a no-call at the podium. Doncic stepped on the foot of Jaden McDaniels and lost the ball.

Lakers and their fans can keep crying

Anthony Edwards was also given key free throws as the result of LeBron James hacking him on the wrist. The future Hall of Famer said that the hand should be part of the ball. That probably excludes the wrist. Of course, all this this has LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Lakers fans, Dallas Cowboys fans, and New York Yankees fans all big mad.

They’re even mad at Anthony Edwards for his blunt physicality against LeBron in game four. But really, they’re upset at their imminent reality. They cannot hang with the Wolves. They know it… and Ant knows it. But just in case, he’s been letting them know verbally too, something that NBA pundits like Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins cannot get enough of.

This is not basketball pic.twitter.com/wwfE3HkzUw

— Per Sources (@PerSources) April 27, 2025

“This man is just built different. He defends his ass off. He wanted smoke with LeBron. He wanted smoke with Luka, that’s what I like, he wanted smoke with Austin Reeves. I look at Anthony Edwards and I say, that is a top five player in the game today. TODAY!

If I’m starting a franchise, yes we know we have Jokic, we have Giannis, we have those guys. But dammit, you better not overlook Anthony Edwards.”

Kendrick Perkins – First Take

While a player like Luka is capable of stuffing the stat sheet every night out, his mentality and dedication to being a well-rounded basketball player is not the same as Anthony Edwards’. Don’t get me wrong, Ant has plenty of growing up to do, both on and off the court, but at 23 years old, his killer mindset is different.

Doncic has made a career of overshadowing his incredible skill set with laziness on defense and constant whining to officials. There’s no doubt a team can win with Luka, but as Perkins points out, they’ll have to overcome what he isn’t, in order to make it happen. And this Lakers team is not good enough to do that.

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

If you aren’t aware that Anthony Edwards is a star you haven’t been paying attention. Whether he wants the title or not, he is (or will soon become) the new face of the NBA. The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski put it eloquently saying, “Time to stop asking why Edwards does not want to be the future face of the league and start asking, how can he not be?”

Stephen A. Smith showers Anthony Edwards with praise

It seems like a lifetime ago when questions about Anthony Edwards’ desire to play basketball surrounded his draft status. Those questions are dead. Anthony Edwards is box office, as First Take star Stephen A. Smith likes to say. But on ESPN Monday, he took it to another level, doubling down on Kendrick Perkins’ praise, calling

“Anthony Edwards is a 200 million dollar player playin like he broke”
💪😤

Via @FirstTake pic.twitter.com/WtOEd8MKZM

— The Daily Wolves (@TheDailyWolves) April 28, 2025

“This brother, after taking [the Wolves] to the conference finals and getting smoked by Luka, is not only smoking Luka, he’s smoking LeBron too. With LeBron doing his thing, still it’s not enough! You just said it Windy, the best player in this series, with LeBron and Luka on the basketball court, is a 23-year-old with a $200+ million contract playing like he’s broke… playing like ‘I want this. I’m taking them out’.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again. He is a shark in blood-infested waters. Yeah, I think this series is going to go back to Minnesota. But make no mistake, he’s coming to take them out in LA. He wants to ruin tinseltown for them all summer long. Antman is coming. I’m sorry, he’s arrived.”

Stephen A. Smith – First Take

Edwards is clearly fueled by the competitive fire. He may have a lighthearted attitude behind the microphone, but every passionate quote or dagger on the court reflects a player willing to win at any cost, something that national pundits are starting to see firsthand.

Related: Rapper Drake Betting BIG on the MN Timberwolves

This Timberwolves team didn’t experience the same level of certainty of the one that reached the Western Conference Finals last season. Edwards has his group clicking on all cylinders right now though, and regardless of what odds may say, betting against them seems like a losing proposition.

Whether it’s the Warriors, Steph Curry, and the clown known as Draymond Green, or another opponent in the next round, Edwards will be the best player on the court, and the only superstar entering his prime.

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

It was a move that sent shockwaves through the basketball world. A lot of people were even convinced Shams Charania (ESPN) was hacked when he dropped the news on X (formerly Twitter). It was that astonishing.

There wasn’t a single rumor about Luka being traded. Everyone just assumed Doncic was one of those rare “untouchable” players. But if he’s not, then absolutely no one is. But on Tuesday, reports are surfacing that the Mavericks had been quietly testing the waters on a possible Luka Doncic trade, and that other teams didn’t take them seriously or weren’t willing to swap superstars.

Dallas Mavericks reached out to the Minnesota Timberwolves about Luka Doncic

According to longtime basketball writer Gery Woelfel, the Mavericks reached out to multiple teams before Luka Doncic ended up with the Lakers. One of those teams was the Minnesota Timberwolves — talks that likely included Anthony Edwards. The other, per Woelfel, was the Milwaukee Bucks, who weren’t willing to deal Giannis Antetokounmpo.

According to one source, the Mavs reached out to the Bucks. But the Bucks made it clear to Mavs they wouldn’t trade Antetokounmpo even though his future with the team is murky.

As for the Timberwolves, it’s only logical that any potential deal between the Mavs and Timberwolves would have included Anthony Edwards, their ascending 23-year-old superstar.

The NBA officials I contacted regarding the Doncic-Davis declined to divulge specifics of the Mavs talks with the Bucks and Timberwolves, but they were adamant those talks took place.

Gery Woelfel

A trade involving 23-year-old Anthony Edwards and 25-year-old Luka Doncic would’ve sent this blockbuster into another stratosphere, especially considering it wouldn’t have even been a year since their showdown in the Western Conference Finals.

Related: Minnesota Timberwolves Ownership Awarded to Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez

I can’t even imagine what Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly was thinking when Dallas called them wanting to talk about trading Luka Doncic. Was it Edwards that he Mavs were demanding? As Woelfel theorizes, I can’t see why else they would call.

All of this really puts things into perspective. Maybe it’s a reminder not to take watching Anthony Edwards in a Minnesota Timberwolves jersey for granted. You never know when a phone call could hit the line that changes the course of franchise history forever.

During Game 3 Sunday night, a contest the Timberwolves absolutely had to have down 2-0 in the series, they simply couldn’t get a stop late. Jason Kidd’s team to shot 56% from the floor and 50% from deep on the night.

Minnesota Timberwolves can’t beat Luka Doncic + officials

While the insufferable Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving continued their impressive run, NBA official Tony Brothers and his crew made the game about them from the beginning.

Kyle Anderson receives a tech after an offensive foul 😳 pic.twitter.com/OuwdjSLRgL

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 27, 2024

So I see the referees are going to influence this game against #WolvesBack tonight.

“Referees are never supposed to be like that. They’re supposed to be de-escalating situations. There’s no talking to Tony Brothers tonight.”

Reggie Miller with the key correct take.

— Ted (@tlschwerz) May 27, 2024

It started early, and it wasn’t just the Minnesota Timberwolves taking notice. After a questionable foul on Kyle Anderson, otherwise critical TNT analyst Reggie Miller noted just how bad of a decision Tony Brothers made to give the Minnesota forward a technical. Passionately questioning the foul, Dallas was sent to the line early.

As has been the case for the majority of his career, things continued to be uneven as Rudy Gobert got tangled with Daniel Gafford going down the court, but constant Luka Doncic contact was left unreprimanded.

For the duration of this series there has been a few constants, Luka Doncic trash talking, Luka Doncic complaining and Luka Doncic hitting massive shots in the biggest moments. He did plenty of all three on Sunday night.

Referees became a talking point through the contest, and especially in the second half. This isn’t the first time the Timberwolves have experience a lopsided game in the refereeing department during these playoffs, but this felt like Scott Foster would be welcomed onto the court as a substitute.

And the academy award goes to… pic.twitter.com/5yDjICeCVp

— Ted (@tlschwerz) May 27, 2024

Nickeil Alexander-Walker was handed a third quarter offensive foul more than three-quarters of the way from the bucket after Derrick Jones Jr. decided to win an Academy Awards. The zebras once again fell for it and hopped on the whistle with quickness.

Related: Sounds Like the Timberwolves Plan to Offer Mike Conley a Lucrative Coaching Job

The icing on the cake may have been Doncic himself, throwing a literal tantrum on national television that went unreprimanded. Worth a trip to the locker room for his binkie and a timeout, instead the officials swallowed their whistle and asked the Mavericks star that finished with 33 points what he would like next.

Crikey, we have a prancing toddler in the wild: pic.twitter.com/5LTNgQzvbI

— Ted (@tlschwerz) May 27, 2024

Officials rarely are the sole reason for a result in any professional game. They weren’t tonight, and they won’t be the rest of the way either. They certainly impacted the game negatively for Minnesota though, and it’s been a problem for the league over the years.

Adam Silver knows this league has an officiating issue, and if the NBA ever wants to distance itself completely from Tim Donaghy’s transgressions, then a greater level of consistency and transparency needs to be shown. But tonight, it wouldn’t have mattered.

Luka Doncic screams at Rudy Gobert

But, with time expiring in the 4th quarter, the home team was up by two points. Then, Luka Doncic put Rudy Gobert on skates right before he hit the game-winning 3-pointer over the DPOY’s head with three seconds remaining. After he hit the shot, he screamed, “LET’S GO MOTHER F*CKER, YOU CAN’T F*CKING GUARD ME” at the back of Rudy’s head.

Here’s the TNT Overtime angle with everything Luka said, including a “let’s go mother f**ker. you cant fucking guard me.” pic.twitter.com/ccfzvfirst

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) May 25, 2024

But that wasn’t the end of Doncic screaming at people, during the last few seconds of this contest. It was the Timberwolves who, down 108-109, got the last opportunity to put the ball in the basket and walk away with game two.

Luka Doncic screams at Minnesota Timberwolves fans…?

With three seconds remaining, Anthony Edwards caught the inbounds pass from the side-out, took one dribble and kicked to Naz Reid for a game-winning three-pointer, after he was quickly double-teamed.

Before that final shot went up, Naz was 6-of-7 from deep, on the night. Unfortunately, Minnesota needed him to be 7-of-8. After one of the most heart-breaking in-and-outs in Minnesota basketball history, Luka was screaming again, this time at what one can only assume are Wolves fans (or a fan) sitting in the first few rows behind the scorers’ table. “YEAH, GO HOME, B*TCH!”

“Yeah! Go home, bitch!” pic.twitter.com/4wOs07RrxC

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) May 25, 2024

It’s almost impossible from the broadcast’s video to know who Luka was yelling at, but one thing is for sure, he isn’t just yelling into the stadium or aiming his screams at the Target Center crowd, as a whole. There is definitely a specific target he is aiming those words at. If we find out who it is, we’ll update you.

Related: Chris Finch Lost His Mind a Little Bit During Timberwolves’ Game 1 Film Session

The Minnesota Timberwolves will play game three vs the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, in a game they have no choice but to win. If they go down 3-0, then Charles Barkley will be right about his call for a sweep.