Rudy Gobert had playoff profession highs with 27 factors and 24 rebounds, Julius Randle added 23 factors and the Minnesota Timberwolves superior within the NBA playoffs with a 103-96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Recreation 5 of their first-round sequence Wednesday night time.
Anthony Edwards had 15 factors and 11 rebounds for the sixth-seeded Wolves, who gained three straight video games to eradicate LeBron James and Luka Doncic from their first postseason collectively.
After profitable a playoff spherical in back-to-back seasons for the primary time in franchise historical past, Minnesota subsequent faces the winner of Houston’s sequence with Golden State. The Rockets averted elimination Wednesday, and Recreation 6 is Friday with the Warriors main 3-2.
Doncic had 28 factors and 9 assists, whereas James added 22 factors for the Lakers, who misplaced within the first spherical for the second straight postseason regardless of reconfiguring their roster at midseason with their seismic commerce for Doncic.
Rui Hachimura scored 23 factors for the Lakers, who’ve superior from the opening spherical simply as soon as in 5 seasons since their 2020 championship within the Florida bubble.
With Gobert working amok within the paint whereas the Lakers intentionally performed and not using a heart, Minnesota gained Recreation 5 regardless of going 7 for 47 on 3-point makes an attempt, together with 17 consecutive misses between the center of the second quarter and Mike Conley’s dagger 3 with 1:22 to play.
After splitting the primary two video games in Los Angeles, the Wolves seized management of the sequence in back-to-back slender dwelling victories with superior late-game execution.
Gobert then stepped up when the Lakers deployed a small-ball lineup for Recreation 5, with the French heart scoring extra factors than he managed within the sequence’ first 4 video games mixed.
Minnesota nursed a slender lead down the stretch, and the Lakers missed 5 consecutive photographs whereas going 3 1/2 minutes between factors.
After taking part in the complete second half of Recreation 4 with 5 gamers, the Lakers modified their beginning lineup for Recreation 5, protecting tenacious wing Dorian Finney-Smith rather than heart Jaxson Hayes.
Lakers coach JJ Redick defended his resolution to eschew substitutions this week, even reacting testily when a reporter requested him about his resolution course of earlier than Recreation 5.
Minnesota jumped to a 14-point lead within the first quarter, however the Lakers rallied earlier than Doncic went to the locker room one minute earlier than halftime after touchdown awkwardly on his knees resulting from a heavy foul by Donte DiVincenzo. Doncic returned to the court docket moments earlier than the third quarter started, sporting a big decrease again brace that he discarded to proceed taking part in.
The Wolves’ horrible capturing saved it shut, and the Lakers took their first lead when Doncic led a rally late within the third.
James limped to the Lakers’ bench through the fourth quarter after happening laborious on his balky ankle, however returned just a few possessions later.
Reporting by The Related Press.
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