- by foxnews
- 02 Jun 2025
The poor performance led one Lakers legend to try and light a fire underneath his former squad.
"Tonight was one of the Lakers worst performances this season," Magic Johnson wrote on X. "They were flat, had no energy, and they played like it was a regular season game."
Johnson wasn't done there, as he also pointed a finger at head coach JJ Redick.
"Coach JJ Redick did a great job all season but he didn't do a good job for Game 1," Johnson continued. "The Lakers stood around on offense, played too much one-on-one basketball, and he didn't make any necessary adjustments."
If adjustments were made, they didn't work against Minnesota's offensive attack, which shot 51.2% from the field as a team and a whopping 50% from beyond the arc.
The Timberwolves were raining threes, going 21-for-42 with big man Naz Reid having the hot hand, burying six of his nine three-point attempts.
Anthony Edwards, who was close to notching a triple-double with 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, also hit four threes despite a shaky outing (8-for-22 shooting overall). Jaden McDaniels was highly efficient with a team-high 25 points on 11-for-13 shooting with nine rebounds.
Meanwhile, the Lakers struggled throughout the game, shooting 39.8% from the field. Luka Doncic was the exception, going 12-for-22 from the field, and 5-for-10 from three, for a game-high 37 points. LeBron James was 8-for-18, while Austin Reaves was only 5-for-13.
Los Angeles was leading after the first quarter, but the Timberwolves got hot in the second and never looked back. By the end of the game, starters from both teams were resting, with Minnesota putting it out of reach.
James spoke after the game, where he recognized the Timberwolves' offensive power.
Swedish archaeologists uncovered medieval monastery ruins in Derome, thanks to a history enthusiast's research of old maps and advanced radar technology.
read more