Luka Doncic Leads Lakers to Game 2 Victory, Tying Series Against Timberwolves
Luka Doncic was in full control on Tuesday night, scoring 31 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a commanding 94-85 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. His performance evened the series at 1-1, making a strong statement after their 22-point loss in the series opener.
Doncic’s dominance was evident from the start, with 16 of his 31 points coming in a first-quarter blitz. He also contributed 12 rebounds and 9 assists, orchestrating the Lakers’ game plan for the full 48 minutes. LeBron James added 21 points and 11 rebounds, Austin Reaves scored 16 points, and Rui Hachimura chipped in with 11 as the Lakers bounced back from their Game 1 defeat.
“It was just a question of if we would be more physical or not, and I think we showed that,” Doncic said. “We were there for 48 minutes. We got up big in the first quarter, we learned from the last game, and we just stuck with it.”
Game 3 will be a pivotal matchup on Friday in Minneapolis, where the Timberwolves have already proven tough, sweeping the regular season series against Los Angeles.
On the other side, the Timberwolves struggled offensively, shooting just 38 percent from the field, a stark contrast to their 51.2 percent shooting in Game 1. Julius Randle scored 27 points, and Anthony Edwards added 25, but the Wolves’ offense was stifled, particularly from beyond the arc. They made only five 3-pointers out of 25 attempts, a season-low.
“It seemed like every time I caught the ball, they kind of went into a zone in a sense,” Edwards said. “It was kind of confusing at times, but we’ll watch film and be ready [for Game 3].”
Jaden McDaniels, who led the Timberwolves with 25 points in the opener, was limited to just 8 points in Game 2.
The Lakers set the tone early, jumping out to a double-digit lead within the first seven minutes. By the end of the first quarter, they were ahead 34-15, shooting 55 percent and limiting the Timberwolves to just 27.8 percent shooting.
In the second quarter, Hachimura had to leave the game after an accidental blow to the face from Naz Reid, but he returned mid-way through the second, sporting a protective mask. Los Angeles was up by 22 points at the half, leading 58-43.
Minnesota made a brief run in the third, cutting the lead to 62-51, but the Lakers quickly responded with a 9-0 run, pushing the lead back to 20 points. The Timberwolves made one final push, narrowing the gap to 86-77 with just over six minutes left, but clutch plays by James, including a steal and coast-to-coast layup, sealed the win for Los Angeles.
“We had some guys play well individually, but we didn’t connect the dots tonight,” said Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch. “That’s what we had been doing so well. But it was a super physical game.”
With the series now tied, both teams are set to battle it out in Game 3, where the Timberwolves will look to bounce back on their home court.