Lakers unprepared for 'more physical' Wolves in Game 1 loss - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — After pushing themselves in the play-in tournament the past two years just to qualify for the postseason, the Los Angeles Lakers relished the chance to earn a week off leading into Game 1 to prepare for their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The break might have allowed players to heal minor injuries and the coaching staff to dive into strategy, but what was clear after L.A.'s 117-95 loss to the Wolves on Saturday was that the Lakers were wholly unready for the raw, bruising physicality that Minnesota played with.

«It's not to say our guys weren't ready to withstand a playoff-level basketball game.… I'm not sure physically we were ready,» Lakers coach JJ Redick said. «And really when [the Wolves] started playing with a lot of thrust and physicality, we just didn't respond to meet that.»

Said Lakers guard Austin Reaves: «I think that they just physically beat us from the get-go.»

From the start of the second quarter past the midway point of the third, the Wolves outscored the Lakers 67-33 as Minnesota's plus-sized frontline of 7-1 Rudy Gobert, 6-9 Jaden McDaniels and 6-9 Julius Randle controlled the boards, forced L.A. turnovers and generally dictated the game flow with their defensive presence. Luka Doncic said L.A. «let go of the rope.»

LeBron James, who has played in the most playoff games in NBA history (including the most Game 1s), chalked it up as a costly entry fee for his team to know what to expect in the series.

«Maybe it took us one playoff game to now get a feel for it and know what type of intensity, the type of physicality is going to be brought to the game,» James said after finishing with 19 points. «But that's just the way they play. So we should be more than prepared