Lakers vs Timberwolves Postgame Report
Tonight, the Lakers finally ended their ‘season opener’ curse as they faced and defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-103.
The Lakers were still without Jarred Vanderbilt, Christian Wood, and Christian Koloko tonight, but you could not tell they were lacking in size.
Los Angeles was able to execute on both main points of improvement that head coach JJ Redick has shared since joining the organization. Crashing the glass and an array of threes were on display as the Lakers tallied 10 offensive rebounds and attempted nineteen threes in the first half.
LA dominated the second quarter, creating a 17-2 run at one point. In the second quarter, they also provided us with a moment of history when LeBron and Bronny shared the court as father and son. Ken Griffey and Griffey Jr., the most famous father-son duo in sports history, were in attendance to witness the moment.
THE FIRST FATHER-SON DUO IN NBA HISTORY 👑 pic.twitter.com/T12JdbluT2
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) October 23, 2024
Redick looked very comfortable in his debut as the new coach of the Purple and Gold. In the second quarter, he even took the opportunity to give one of the officials an earful. The difference in both offensive and defensive structure was night and day to last season under Darvin Ham.
In the second half, Minnesota slowly but surely chipped away at the Lakers’ lead through the same mentality that gave the Lakers that lead. They capitalized on long rebounds, which led to them far outscoring the Lakers in second-chance points.
Anthony Davis was, without a doubt, the story of the night. In the fourth quarter, he received MVP chants at the line after putting up a ridiculous stat line. Dominating on both offense and defense, it became clear that his use as a hub would work.
All in all, the Lakers persevered through an abysmal shooting night and an Anthony Edwards fourth-quarter flurry to come out with a massive win against a top conference foe. Cheers to the number-one seed in the West.
Key Lakers Performers
- Anthony Davis: 36 Points, 16 Rebounds, 3 Blocks, 13/15 FT
- Rui Hachimura: 18 Points, 5 Rebounds, 2 Steals, 1 Block, 19 +/-
- Austin Reaves: 12 Points, 9 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 1 Steal, 1 Block
