\n
The Los Angeles Lakers entered Game 2 of their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves with their backs against the wall. Minnesota took a commanding 1-0 lead by blitzing Los Angeles and never looking back, ultimately securing a 117-95 win.<\/p>\n
During a significantly more competitive Game 2, the Lakers relied on what got them to the dance\u2014and won 94-85 in a game that legitimized their grand ambitions.<\/p>\n
Los Angeles finished the 2024-25 regular season in the top half of the NBA in both three-point field goals made and three-point field goal percentage. Although not an elite team in that area, they created efficient shots and buried them at an impressive rate.<\/p>\n
During Game 2 against the Timberwolves, however, the Lakers couldn’t seem to remember how to shoot from beyond the arc.<\/p>\n
Los Angeles finished Game 2 shooting 6-of-29 from beyond the arc\u2014good for a mark of 20.7 percent. It was difficult to watch, as the Lakers’ dependable shooters looked lost whenever they were tasked with spacing the floor.<\/p>\n
When all else failed, however, the Lakers were able to trust that their formula for success remains unrivaled: Play through Luka Doncic, finish through LeBron James.<\/p>\n
Luka Doncic paces the Lakers, LeBron James closes games out<\/h2>\n
Doncic saved the day in Game 2, pacing the Lakers through three quarters on a night when few others could get anything going. He finished with 31 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, and a block, applying and sustaining pressure on the Timberwolves’ defense from start to finish.<\/p>\n
It was the gutsy performance that the Lakers expected when they traded for him, and have now been rewarded for positioning him to provide.<\/p>\n
James’ showing included ebbs and flows, but he stepped up when Los Angeles needed him most. He finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, one block, and a steal, scoring six of the Lakers’ mere 13 points in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n
That included what effectively amounted to a clinching bucket with 2:40 on the clock. He then assisted Doncic with 49.0 seconds remaining, thus putting an end to the Timberwolves’ comeback and securing a crucial Game 2 win.<\/p>\n
It was a clutch showing by the Lakers’ franchise players on a night when others continued to struggle. Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves admittedly\u00a0took a step forward overall, combining for 27 points on 11-of-23 shooting, but they also shot a cumulative 0-of-8 from beyond the arc.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, they helped spearhead a dominant defensive effort that positioned Doncic and James to take over as only superstars can.<\/p>\n
It was a grind of a game from beginning to end, with neither team allowing the opposition to generate offensive momentum. That was a welcome change from Game 1, when the Timberwolves scored 117 points on .512\/.500\/.800 shooting.<\/p>\n
Los Angeles desperately needs to figure out\u00a0how to generate efficient offense, but when all else fails, Doncic and James have the capacity to be an unrivaled duo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Los Angeles Lakers entered Game 2 of their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves with their backs against the wall. Minnesota took a commanding 1-0 lead… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":55495,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/p>\n