Lakers vs Timberwolves Preview
As the smoke clears from a gritty but frustrating season-opening loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Lakers welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight. It’s a rematch of last year’s first-round playoff matchup between the two teams early in the 2025-26 season.
Limit Turnovers
The opener exposed the Lakers’ weakness, which was their tendency to commit turnovers. L.A. coughed up 18 miscues against Golden State, leading to 22 points off those gifts.
Against Minnesota’s suffocating defense—the sixth-best rating last year at 111.5—the ball security must tighten. Dončić and Austin Reaves combined for eight giveaways alone in the opener; expect Redick to drill the basics in shootaround. Clean possessions could flip this into a bounce-back win.
Shooting from beyond the arc
Three-point shooting remains another sore spot. The Lakers against Golden State hovered around 25% from beyond the arc. Minnesota’s perimeter D, anchored by Jaden McDaniels, feasted on spot-up shooters last season. For L.A. to stretch the floor and create driving lanes, sharpshooters like Gabe Vincent need to heat up.
Team Contribution
Offensively, the Lakers’ reliance on their dynamic duo is unsustainable. Doncic and Austin Reaves torched the Warriors for 69 points, but the other nine players mustered just 40 points. Team involvement—beyond the stars—is critical. Role players like Rui Hachimura must contribute points collectively, emphasizing cuts, screens, and second-chance opportunities. Redick’s motion offense showed flashes in camp, but execution against the Wolves’ switch-heavy scheme will test the bench’s buy-in.
Luka and AR accounted for 89% of the Lakers points against the Warriors 😳 pic.twitter.com/Dlrj1VyIHJ
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) October 24, 2025
DeAndre Ayton
Finally, all eyes are on DeAndre Ayton. The big man faded in the opener with just 10 points and six boards, reigniting criticism that he’s too passive and disengaged when the spotlight intensifies. Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert looms large, but Ayton must dominate the glass and protect the rim without fouling out.
His improved motor—hinted at in camp—could neutralize the Wolves’ frontcourt and unlock pick-and-roll magic with Dončić. To silence the doubters, Ayton needs to attack the glass with urgency, finish through contact instead of settling for floaters, and anchor the defense by staying vertical on Gobert’s hooks.
