All Eyes On Luka Doncic To Help The Lakers Beat Minnesota Timberwolves

The Los Angeles Lakers are in a tough spot trying to take down the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs. But you know what? They might just have their secret weapon in the form of Luka Doncic. That play is an absolute beast on the court, and the Lakers are looking up to him to help them whip the Timberwolves.

Will Luka Doncic live up to the expectations?

Sunday, shortly after Redick and his players and coaching staff watched the LA Clippers beat the Golden State Warriors in overtime and, as a result, lock in the No. 3 seed Lakers’ first-round opponent as the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves, the coach said he will tap into Doncic’s experience against the Wolves last spring.

“There are nuances to what teams are trying to do against certain opponents,” Redick said when asked about the benefit of discussing the result of last year’s Western Conference finals with Doncic to get the Lakers ready for Minnesota next weekend.

Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Wolves 4-1, with Doncic averaging 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 2.2 steals to earn series MVP.

While what worked for Doncic’s Mavs will be informative for Redick, so too will what didn’t work for Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean, who was swept out of the first round of the playoffs last year by the Wolves while on staff with the Phoenix Suns.

“We have a lot of work,” Redick said. “They’re a really good basketball team.”

Minnesota went 9-2 to close out the season and move up from No. 8 to No. 6 in the West, finishing with a 49-33 record, one fewer win than Los Angeles.

The Wolves finished with the No. 8 offense in the league, averaging 115.7 points per 100 possessions, and also had the No. 6 defensive rating, allowing 110.8 points per 100 possessions.

“It’s a very difficult opponent,” Redick said. “They’ve played as well as anyone lately, and I believe they’re one of four teams in the top 10 in offense and defense. So, they present a lot of problems.”

But it’s not just about Doncic, the Lakers need to bring their A-game as a team. They need to play smart, make sharp passes, and knock down those shots. It’s going to be a tough battle, but with Doncic leading the way, the Lakers just might have a shot at taking down the Timberwolves. All eyes are on Luka Doncic now!

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