Full Playoff Breakdown for Lakers vs Timberwolves Series

For the first time since 2012, the Los Angeles Lakers will host a playoff series opener in front of their home crowd. It's a moment long in the making for a franchise that has experienced plenty of highs and lows over the last decade. The Lakers head into this series brimming with confidence—but they’re not the only ones.

The Minnesota Timberwolves closed out their regular season red-hot, winning 17 of their final 21 games to avoid the play-in and secure a top-six seed in the Western Conference. While their competition down the stretch wasn’t exactly elite, Minnesota took care of business, which in itself speaks volumes about their focus and maturity.

Still, they’ll need the series of a lifetime to advance past a veteran-heavy Lakers squad.

The games still have to be played, and there’s no shortage of tactical battles to watch.

Starting with the Lakers, their offensive game plan will revolve around LeBron James and Luka Doncic attacking Minnesota’s smaller defenders.

It’s not the Timberwolves’ frontcourt that should be the focus—it’s their backcourt. Putting Rudy Gobert in uncomfortable positions off the ball could swing early momentum toward Los Angeles. When the Lakers successfully force Gobert to defend in space rather than patrol the paint, it takes away the one area where he’s historically dominant.

On the other hand, Gobert’s offensive value has mostly come when playing alongside Mike Conley, whose steady hand in the pick-and-roll has turned Gobert into a credible rim threat. But if the Lakers can play Conley off the floor—by targeting him on defense and forcing Minnesota to go bigger or more athletic—it limits Gobert’s effectiveness. Without Conley’s setup game, Gobert is reduced to a screen-setter and offensive rebounder, rarely a true scoring threat.

Supporting pieces will play a major role for L.A. Rui Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Gabe Vincent, who will all be tasked with spacing the floor and hitting open looks. Their ability to cut off the ball and stay aggressive in secondary actions will open up more opportunities for the Lakers’ big three of James, Dončić, and Austin Reaves.

Defensively, the question is whether the Lakers can rediscover the identity we saw before and a bit after the All-Star break.

L.A. ranked as the NBA’s best defense between late January and early March, thanks to connected rotations and relentless point-of-attack pressure. Injuries and a grueling schedule knocked them off that level, but if they can tap back into it—especially down the stretch of close games—it could make this a short series.

For the Timberwolves, the key will be to apply ball pressure relentlessly.

Disrupting L.A.’s timing and forcing tough decisions could be their best path to consistent stops. Switching with their fives—Gobert and Naz Reid—could also be a useful wrinkle, especially when trying to neutralize the Lakers’ post-heavy actions involving Doncic and James.

One under-the-radar matchup to keep an eye on is Anthony Edwards versus head coach JJ Redick, who’s stepping into his first playoff series in a lead role.

Edwards’ growth as a playmaker has been steady, even if it’s not yet his calling card. If he can manipulate help defenders and make the right reads, Minnesota’s offense becomes much harder to guard.

Julius Randle’s impact shouldn’t be overlooked either. He’ll likely see Rui Hachimura as his primary defender, and history suggests he’s had some success in that matchup. Whether Redick sticks with Hachimura or makes an adjustment could say a lot about how this series unfolds.

Ultimately, Minnesota will need to find ways to generate consistent offense, because going blow for blow with James, Doncic, and Reaves is no small task. But if the Timberwolves can force tempo, hit enough shots, and execute defensively, this series could go the distance.

Still, if the Lakers take care of business and their stars impose their will, they have every opportunity to put Minnesota away without too much drama.

Either way, this series promises high-level basketball, pivotal adjustments, and plenty of star power.

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.