{"id":55129,"date":"2025-04-22T07:07:04","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T07:07:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=55129"},"modified":"2025-04-22T07:07:04","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T07:07:04","slug":"exclusive-austin-reaves-reveals-how-lakers-must-play-vs-timberwolves-in-game-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=55129","title":{"rendered":"EXCLUSIVE: Austin Reaves reveals how Lakers must play vs. Timberwolves in Game 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Lakers are facing a must-win situation heading into Game 2.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"LA<\/p>\n

LOS ANGELES \u2013 The Los Angeles Los Angeles Lakers were thoroughly outplayed by the Minnesota Timberwolves during their 117-95 Game 1 loss of their opening round series of the NBA Playoffs.<\/p>\n

Trailing 1-0 in the best of seven series, the Lakers face a must-win situation in Game 2 before the series shifts to Minnesota.<\/p>\n

Austin Reaves, who by his own admission needs to be better in Game 2, spoke about how the Lakers need to play to have a chance at evening the series up.<\/p>\n

During a post-practice media availability session, Austin Reaves outlined what it looks like when the Lakers are connected and playing hard, revealing the blueprint for what it takes to try and get a victory in Game 2.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just think it\u2019s how connected we are when everybody\u2019s giving everything they have on every possession. You\u2019re more locked in to every detail on both ends of the floor,\u201d Reaves said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s what the playoffs are about. It\u2019s winning on small details. Unfortunately we didn\u2019t do that the first game, but it\u2019s the first one to four games.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Lakers need to match Timberwolves\u2019 physicality<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the ways in which the Lakers were outplayed by the Timberwolves in Game 1 was in terms of physicality. Simply put, the Wolves were the more physical team and it showed.<\/p>\n

Despite that, Lakers head coach JJ Redick isn\u2019t worried about it being a continuing trend, considering the way the team has played up this point.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick reacts against the Houston Rockets during the second half at Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n

Lakers\u2019 JJ Redick reveals true thoughts on Game 1 vs. Timberwolves after watching film<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no game plan for physicality. We have been, in my opinion, one of the more physical teams in the NBA the last half of the year, since mid-January,\u201d Redick said following practice on Monday. \u201cIt\u2019s who we are. I take Saturday\u2019s game from a physicality standpoint as an aberration.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the ways in that the Lakers\u2019 lack of physicality may have manifested itself early in Game 1 was the fact that they were not whistled for a foul throughout the entire first quarter, and for a good portion of the second quarter.<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s never a good idea to foul, Reaves agreed with the assessment that the lack of fouls on the Lakers\u2019 end early on was a bit of a tell-tale sign of their lack of physicality.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s probably a good indication of that,\u201d Reaves said.<\/p>\n

The Lakers will square off against the Wolves on Tuesday night at home in Game 2 looking to even the series up at one game apiece.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Lakers are facing a must-win situation heading into Game 2. LOS ANGELES \u2013 The Los Angeles Los Angeles Lakers were thoroughly outplayed by the Minnesota Timberwolves… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":55131,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\nEXCLUSIVE: Austin Reaves reveals how Lakers must play vs. Timberwolves in Game 2 - News 365<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=55129\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"EXCLUSIVE: Austin Reaves reveals how Lakers must play vs. Timberwolves in Game 2 - News 365\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Lakers are facing a must-win situation heading into Game 2. 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