The Los Angeles Lakers bounce back from a brutal first loss in Game 2 of the playoff season against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The final score of Game 2 was 94-85, which evened the playing fields, given the Lakers’ uncritically poor performance in their first playoff game, where the Lakers lost by 22 points with a final score of 117-95 to the Timberwolves. The Lakers’ Game 2 win was mostly due to the impressive play by Luka Doncic, who scored 31 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists. Dončić kept the Timberwolves’ defense busy during this game, performing dominantly and intelligently every time he touched the court. A high school basketball player, Xavier Peters, spoke of his opinions on Doncic’s performance, “ Luka Doncic has been the most impressive player by far. He has been scoring a lot and making smart passes. He controls the game and makes it hard for defenders. Even with tough defenders, he still finds a way to score.” Lebron James was a spotlight player, performing well with a total of 21 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Samuel Crognale, another Pennridge basketball player, was asked about Lebron’s performance. “I would say LeBron leads by example and stays very calm under pressure. Also encourages his teammates to play hard and lock in.”
Anthony Edwards, a young and overall exciting player on the Timberwolves team, played well, making 22 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds in Game 1, but, the Timberwolves’ star this game was Jaden McDaniels, performing strong making a total of 25 points taking advantage of the three point shot openings. However, in Game 2, the Timberwolves’ offense could not keep up with the Lakers’ defense, making only five of their 25 three-point shot attempts, with McDaniels shooting only eight of them. The Timberwolves also lacked additional scoring support, with usually high scorers, Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo, not performing their best. “I think the Lakers went back and watched the film and fixed their mistakes to prepare. They also seemed to play with more energy and focus in Game 2.” Crognale stated. Peters agreed with his teammate, “The Timberwolves had an overall good defense in Game 1, but didn’t work as well in Game 2. I think they need to adjust more when players like Doncic get comfortable.” This season, the Lakers have had some changes in coaching. JJ Redick, becoming head Coach of the popular team in his first year, an impressive feat, is a former NBA player himself, his career consisting of 12,028 points, 1,903 rebounds, 1,862 assists, and 1,950 three-pointers, playing over 15 seasons with six teams, ranking among the top twenty percent in NBA history for both three-pointers made and percentages. “I think it’s cool that JJ Redick became a head coach so quickly. He was a smart player, so I think he knows how to lead a team.” Crognale said.
The Timberwolves’ confidence has been shaken with the trio of players Austin Reaves, Lebron James, and Luka Dončić clean in their minds after Game 2. “I think this loss heavily affected the Timberwolves. Losing after a big win can shake a team’s confidence and switch the mentality. They will have to stay positive and focused in the next game to bounce back.” Peters said. The Lakers make their way down to Minneapolis, Minnesota, home court of the Timberwolves, for the upcoming Game 3, which will be played at 9:30 PM Friday on these TV channels: ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV.
The betting odds are split almost directly down the middle, with a point one favorite to the Timberwolves to win, but the Los Angeles Lakers and all their fans hope that the strong team maintains its momentum.
