After getting “smacked in the mouth” in a blowout loss to open their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Lakers delivered a gritty response Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Fueled by tenacity, a revamped defensive effort, and a near triple-double from Luka Doncic, the Lakers edged out the Timberwolves 94-85 in a bruising Game 2 to even the Western Conference playoff series at one game apiece.
Rui Hachimura embodied the night’s physical tone early on when he took a hard shot to the face and left for the locker room with a bleeding nose. But the forward returned in the second quarter wearing a protective mask—one he quickly ditched after a few possessions, saying it annoyed him. Hachimura later took another shot to the face and emerged from halftime with a second mask.
“The way Rui came back in, face banged up, ready to go again—he set the tone,” said LeBron James. “That’s the kind of fight we needed.”
The Lakers surged ahead with a 22-point first-quarter lead, taking control early and never relinquishing it. They scored just 60 points over the final three quarters, but the Timberwolves never got closer than nine, unable to replicate the offensive rhythm that saw them bury 21 threes in a 117-95 Game 1 rout.
Doncic led the way for Los Angeles with 31 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists, exploiting Minnesota’s defense in isolation, particularly targeting Rudy Gobert. Austin Reaves added 16 points, while James chipped in with 11 rebounds and seven assists in a physical contest that featured 46 personal fouls and several video reviews.
The Lakers’ defensive adjustments paid off as Anthony Edwards, who had dominated in the series opener, was held in check for long stretches. He finished with 25 points but called the Lakers’ defensive approach “kind of hard” to deal with. Julius Randle added 27 for the Timberwolves, but their offensive flow sputtered throughout.
“We played with edge,” said Lakers coach JJ Redick. “We talked about our response, and I thought they brought it tonight. But yeah, I had to light them up in the fourth to stay locked in.”
Redick was seen unloading on his team in a fiery timeout late in the game, ensuring the focus didn’t fade in crunch time.
With the series tied 1-1, Game 3 shifts to Minneapolis on Friday night. The Lakers have regained momentum—now, the question is whether they can sustain it in a hostile road environment.
“We took that first punch,” James said. “Tonight, we punched back.”
