Lakers Dominate Timberwolves; Move to 4th In The West
The Los Angeles Lakers came away with a 120-106 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. It was the Lakers’ third win in a row and their sixth in seven games.
The win moves LA up to 4th in the Western Conference and only a 0.5 game behind the Houston Rockets for 3rd.
With his major victory, let’s break down how the Lakers got it done.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves’ Takoever
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves led the way for LA’s offense to pick up the victory. Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, but Doncic and Reaves powered the Lakers to the win in the second half.
Doncic finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, two steals, and a block. He shot 11-24 from the field and 4-12 from three. Doncic’s scoring and playmaking were pivotal to getting the offense.
His co-star, Reaves, was just as important, finishing with 31 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists on 10-20 from the floor and 4-10 from behind the arc.
With Doncic and Reaves as the offensive engines, the purple and gold were able to overcome their first-half offensive struggles.
The Lakers jump the Wolves for the 4th seed with tonight’s win 📈
✅ Lakers BEAT Wolves
❌ Raptors beat Raptors
❌ Suns beat BucksJust 0.5 GB of the 3 seed 👀 https://t.co/Eob2ZJncG2 pic.twitter.com/3TYRH4Do6K
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) March 11, 2026
Role Player Contributions
It wasn’t all about Doncic and Reaves, as their role players stepped up. Deandre Ayton had one of his better games, with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and a steal.
Luke Kennard was impactful off the bench, with 10 points, two rebounds, two assists, and a block on 5-8 shooting.
Marcus Smart continues to be a key player for the Lakers, especially on the defensive end. Smart had eight points, two rebounds, an assist, and two steals.
Defensive Masterclass
The Lakers’ defense was crucial to picking up the win over the Wolves. They held star Anthony Edwards to 14 points and four assists on 2-15 shooting and two turnovers.
JJ Redick had a great gameplan to stop Edwards from getting into the paint, forcing him to settle for jump shots, where he went 1-10 from three.
The Lakers don’t have the elite defensive talent to be a lockdown team, but their effort on that end of the floor has improved as of late, helping them win key games.
LA will look to keep the momentum going on Thursday against the Chicago Bulls.
