A bitter ending - Pasadena Star-News

LAKERS

A bitter ending

Lakers drop Game 5 to Timberwolves, who control inside to win series

Luka Doncic scored 28 points but was 7 of 18 from the field as the Lakers saw their season come to a premature end with a loss at Crypto.com Arena to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who won the first-round series in five games. Photos by Keith Birmingham / staff photographer

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The Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert, center, blocks a driving shot by the Lakers’ Rui Hachimura (28) during Wednesday’s playoff game.

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By Khobi Price

kprice@scng.com

LOS ANGELES — Lakers coach JJ Redick on Tuesday described the state of his team as “on edge, as we should be” — a description that could’ve also carried over into Wednesday.

Whether it was Redick ending his pregame press conference with a rant in response to a reporter’s question about utilizing his assistant coaches, or the 18,997 in attendance at seemingly on the edge of their seats for any positive moment from the Lakers, there was a tenseness throughout Crypto.com Arena for the Lakers’ win-or-go-home Game 5 matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

But by the tail end of Game 5, that tenseness turned into disappointment, with the Lakers falling to the Timberwolves 103-96 to lose their best-of-seven first-round series in five games, ending the Lakers’ 2024-25 season.

Luka Doncic (28 points, eight assists, seven rebounds) and LeBron James (20 points, seven rebounds, six assists) led the Lakers despite both having to leave the game at certain moments after getting hurt.

But the Lakers didn’t overcome their ball security issues.

Or the Timberwolves, led by Rudy Gobert (27 points, 24 rebounds) and Julius Randle (23 points, 7-of-10 shooting on 2-pointers), dominating the interior.

The Timberwolves beat the Lakers despite missing 40 3-pointers (7 for 47), the most in NBA playoff history.

Minnesota grabbed 18 offensive rebounds and had two fewer turnovers (15-13) than the Lakers, helping them win the possession battle — a common theme of the series.

The Timberwolves took 11 more field goal attempts (89-78) and eight more free throws (33-25).

Early on, the Lakers didn’t play with the urgency and attention to detail that’s expected from a team in a do-or-die game.

They finished the first quarter, which they trailed 31-22, with six turnovers that directly led to nine Minnesota points, and allowed the Timberwolves, led by Gobert, to grab four offensive rebounds in the first 12 minutes.

The Lakers kept chipping away at the deficit throughout the second and third quarters, eventually breaking through with a 3-pointer from Dorian-Finney-Smith that gave the Lakers their first lead of the game at 78-77 late in the third quarter.

But the Lakers, who shot 42.3% from the field (33 for 78) and 29.7% on 3s (11 for 37), didn’t have the shot-making necessary to stave off Minnesota.

James and Rui Hachimura (23 points) made late 3s to keep the Lakers in the game, with Hachimura’s 25-footer cutting the Lakers’ deficit to 97-94, but Minnesota outhustled the Lakers down the stretch like they have all season, resulting in the Lakers’ season ending with a thud.