Anthony Edwards wasn’t surprised. Not when the Timberwolves shrugged off Luka Doncic’s explosive playoff debut with the Lakers. Not when they broke a franchise playoff record for made threes. Not even when they silenced the Crypto.com Arena crowd and walked off with a 117-95 rout of the third-seeded Lakers in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series on Saturday night.
“I know what we’re capable of,” Edwards said postgame. “We’re built for this.”
Jaden McDaniels led the sixth-seeded Timberwolves with 25 points, Naz Reid added 23 including six 3-pointers, and Edwards nearly logged a triple-double with 22 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. Minnesota’s team-oriented effort easily overshadowed Doncic’s 37-point outburst in his first playoff game since being traded to Los Angeles two months ago.
The Timberwolves took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Lakers 38-20 after weathering a 16-point opening frame from Doncic. They never looked back, stretching the lead in the second half behind red-hot perimeter shooting and unselfish ball movement.
Minnesota knocked down a franchise postseason record 21 3-pointers on 42 attempts — many of them uncontested. Both Edwards and Julius Randle (who came off the bench) hit four apiece, highlighting a balanced attack that kept the Lakers on their heels all night.
LeBron James, appearing in his 18th postseason, finished with 19 points. But the Lakers struggled to keep pace, showing signs of a team still trying to find its identity since Doncic’s blockbuster arrival. Chemistry issues persisted as LA’s defense broke down repeatedly and offensive flow sputtered beyond Doncic’s solo efforts.
For the Timberwolves, the performance echoed their strong close to the regular season — they’ve now won 18 of their last 22 games — and reflected the cohesion of a team that reached the Western Conference Finals a year ago and looks poised for another deep run.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is set for Tuesday night in Los Angeles. If the Lakers don’t find answers fast, the Wolves could return to Minneapolis with a commanding 2-0 lead — and all the momentum.
