“They’re gonna be ready, so we gotta be ready.” These were Anthony Edwards’ words as the Minnesota Timberwolves got ready for Game 2 against a disgruntled LA Lakers team. The Wolves were well aware that LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and the rest of the Lakers would be ready to bounce back in Tuesday’s game. The Lakers pledged to do everything not to go 0-2 down on their home turf. While Minnesota was aware that LA would be ready, they did not estimate the extent. They should’ve known that the physicality was about to be ramped up, especially after all that the King had let out in the podcast. Moreover, they should’ve known that Luka Doncic was going to come after them with a point to prove after Game 1, especially after Edwards’ antics.
In any game, there’s just one winner, and it wasn’t the wolves’ day. They were caught off guard when Doncic and the Lakers came out swinging in the opening quarter and established a 34-15 lead. From which Minnesota could not recover, eventually losing 94-85. While the Lakers were great offensively, it was their much-improved defense that caused Minnesota the most trouble. After being shelled from the deep in Game 1, LA’s defense was locked in on Tuesday. Their main target? Of Course, it was Ant-Man. Whenever Anthony Edwards had possession, the Lakers’ defense switched to a zone defense, making things difficult for the 23-year-old shooting guard. While he did finish the night with 25 points, he went 10-of-22 from the field.
Moreover, he wasn’t able to emulate his three-point shooting from the first game as he went 2-of-8 from deep. This proved to be the deciding factor in Game 2, with the rest of Edwards’ teammates also failing to make an impact offensively. It’s also something Minnesota will have to find a solution to as they gear up for Game 3 at the Target Center. Ant’s teammate, Julius Randle, demanded a change to solve the Minnesota star’s shooting troubles. “I mean it’s tough, it’s tough we as a team got to figure it out and figure out a way to help him get easier looks. You know, so he can be, you know, the Ant that we need him to be. I mean, he was still great, but he had to work extremely hard for everything.” Randle suggested postgame.
Image Credits: IMAGN
Randle, who led the scoring for Minnesota with 27 points, emphasized that the Wolves as a unit need to figure out a way to make things easier for Edwards. Despite scoring 25 points, the 23-year-old had a tough night and struggled with LA’s defense. Maybe setting up better screens and running new plays could be the solution to Edwards’ troubles. That certainly will be something head coach Chris Finch and the rest of the Minnesota team will have to figure out before Game 3; otherwise, things could change very quickly against a team of LA’s caliber. While Anthony Edwards had a bit of an off night, the fact that their bench did not perform well made matters worse. Julius Randle also had a stern warning for the team’s role players as they gear up for the next game.
Julius Randle sends out a stern message for two Timberwolves stars
One thing that stood out in Game 1, as the Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Los Angeles Lakers, was the performances of their bench players. Minnesota’s supporting cast was the X-factor in the win. Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, and even Nickeil Alexander-Walker were all solid coming off the bench. In fact, the combined for almost 40 points out with Reid scoring an incredible 23 points along with five rebounds in 31 minutes of action. However, that wasn’t the case in Game 2. Reid scored just nine in Tuesday’s matchup while going 3-of-8 from the field. Meanwhile, DiVincenzo and Alexander-Walker combined for a mere 8 points in Game 2. This performance wasn’t concerning enough; Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo also picked up several fouls. Reid picked up three in just eight minutes of action. On the other hand, DiVincenzo was also in foul trouble in the very first half.
Oct 13, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) looks on during the first half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
That’s something they’ll need to be wary of going to the third game with the series tied at 1-1. Julius Randle acknowledged this and had a stern message for his teammates. “I mean it’s definitely an impact, you know, because those guys are two huge contributors to our team. You know they are part of the depth that we have, you know that’s what makes our team great and special, being able to you know rely on those guys.” Randle stated. “They’ve won us a lot of games this year, so you know when you kind of take them out of the game with foul trouble or whatever it is it it makes it tough, you know, it puts a lot on others as well.” He pointed out that they are huge contributors to the team, which we’ve seen throughout the season.
Moreover, their getting in foul trouble so early also puts additional pressure on the rest of the guys, which proved to be too much in Game 2. “We just got to be smarter, you know, coming in we couldn’t expect anything or you know rely on help from anything from anybody. You know, we’ve got to play a smart game, we got to play physically aggressive, but we’ve got to play smart as well. So I feel like we’ll be better next game.” Indeed, they’ll need to be much better if they want to establish a lead over the Lakers once again. It will be interesting to see what changes Anthony Edwards and co. implement after failing to capitalize on the chance of securing a 2-0 lead in the series, as we eagerly await Game 3.
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