The efforts of high-profile acquisitions will doubtless outline the NBA Playoff sequence between the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Are all of the king’s horses and all of the king’s males sufficient to pacify the Wolves within the NBA Playoffs once more?
That’ll be the headlining query of the Western Convention first spherical set between the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves, seeded third and sixth, respectively, within the upcoming sequence. It is a matchup that carries the theme of iconic native veterans meshing with acquisitions from overseas, newcomers earned via each offseason and in-season means.
The Lakers’ season, after all, circled when Luka Doncic was acquired in a surprising commerce with the Dallas Mavericks. Whereas that deal sacrificed 2020 champion Anthony Davis, LeBron James’ Lakers (50-32) have undoubtedly turned the nook for the reason that Slovenian star’s arrival. Los Angeles went 20-12 and shot up the leaderboard to 3rd within the West, its greatest posting for the reason that aforementioned 2020 title run within the Walt Disney World bubble. JJ Redick’s first yr on the helm additionally featured a breakout yr from Austin Reaves (career-best 20.2 factors per recreation) and James persevering with to impress at age 40. Los Angeles re-upped with the architect of its present group shortly earlier than tip-off, extending normal supervisor/president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka.
Minnesota (49-33) generated its hype over the offseason, infamously dealing franchise face Karl-Anthony Cities to the New York Knicks in change for a bundle headlined by Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle. Early struggles had the Timberwolves lingering within the Play-In parts on the onset of the season, however they saved one of the best for final, going 17-4 between March and April to invade the bracket of automated qualification. The antics of “Ant-Man” proved to be something however miniscule, as Anthony Edwards’ historic marketing campaign positioned him with the likes of Cities and Kevin Garnett within the Minnesota document books. He and Rudy Gobert will look to information the Wolves again to the Western Convention Finals, as they reached the semifinal spherical for the primary time in twenty years final season.
Mockingly, the Timberwolves fell to the Lakers in that prior matchup, in addition to a first-round set in 2003. The 2 sides break up this yr’s four-game common season set, with the final get-together being a 111-102 Laker victory on Feb. 27.
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Who: (3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota TimberwolvesWhat: NBA Playoffs, Western Convention, First RoundWhere: Crypto.com Enviornment, Los Angeles/Goal Middle, MinneapolisWinners: Season sequence tied 2-2
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Laker to Watch: LeBron James
Selecting James, nonetheless embarking on game-changing efforts in his supposed twilight, on this occasion appears like stating the apparent. However his measurement towards the burly Timberwolves could possibly be the x-factor of this sequence. Sure, buying and selling an ageing, ailing Davis for the shock windfall of Doncic was the apparent proper transfer, however it left the Lakers comparatively depleted within the stature division. Jaxson Hayes nonetheless appears like a piece in progress and Rui Hachimura is working off a late damage. That’ll put the primetime concentrate on James, who has been more than pleased to just accept such challenges, particularly in a rebooted championship chase.
Wolf to Watch: Julius Randle
The fruits of the Cities commerce on each side had been by no means meant to be reaped within the common season. Swapping Cities for Randle and DiVincenzo most likely wasn’t going to be the transfer that thrust the Wolves into the Finals, however it’s anticipated to additional the sense of postseason consistency they’ve established. For Randle, this postseason is especially private: accidents affected his final two visits (an ankle damage worn out his participation in final yr’s solely) and he just lately sang the praises of getting an opportunity to “actually play for one thing” now that he is in Minneapolis. In his final postseason at full energy (2021), Randle drastically struggled and the powerful effort towards Atlanta (lower than 30 % from three-point vary) has come to outline his profession thus far. Going through the mighty Lakers (his authentic NBA employers) provides him a chief alternative to reclaim his playoff narrative.
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What They’re Saying
“It is not simply me and LeBron. We now have an amazing crew round us; everyone helps us in so some ways. So if we wish to win the championship, it should take all of us … That is our solely aim. Assume now we have the crew to do it.”-Luka Doncic (h/t Dave McMenamin, ESPN)
“It’s going to be an enormous sequence for Ant. He’s acquired to have the ability to develop up proper in entrance of us and be capable to deal with what he’s about to expertise. It’s going to be plenty of attempting to get the ball out of his fingers. They’re going to attempt to be smarter than us, they’re going to attempt to outwit us in plenty of completely different areas … “He’s acquired to be affected person. He’s acquired to have the ability to be considering forward of the sport. LeBron does it on a regular basis. Ant, you’ve acquired to begin trying on the second and third layer of issues. Doing it on your teammates, doing it for your self, make the sport simpler for your self.”-Mike Conley (h/t Jon Krawczynski, The Athletic)
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Prediction
In some circumstances, there could possibly be some advantages to turning your common season right into a de facto postseason preview just like the Timberwolves did. Supposed Play-In fodder has held the inklings of championship competition and Minnesota’s late streaking has them on the shortlist for the title of “the one crew nobody desires to play within the spring.”
Most of these groups, nevertheless, greater than doubtless by no means needed to face James—and actually none of them needed to face James and Doncic. What the Timberwolves have performed can and needs to be revered. Nevertheless it appears like they’ve exhausted a lot vitality to get so far that besting a resurrected SoCal title chase appears like far too tall a job.
Lakers in 5
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Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
