The Minnesota Timberwolves secured a place in the second round of the NBA playoffs after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 103-96 in Game 5 of their first-round series on Wednesday night. Despite significant shooting struggles from beyond the arc, Minnesota relied heavily on the interior dominance of center Rudy Gobert to overcome the Lakers’ small-ball lineup and close out the series.
According to most sportsbooks, the Timberwolves entered the game as 2.5-point underdogs. However, they overcame the odds with a gritty defensive effort and a commanding performance in the paint. Gobert delivered a standout postseason performance, recording a playoff career-high 27 points and 24 rebounds. The veteran center proved a decisive factor, especially when the Lakers opted for a centerless rotation that left them vulnerable under the basket.
The Timberwolves struggled from three-point range throughout the game, connecting on just 7 of 47 attempts. The team went on a prolonged cold streak from beyond the arc, missing 17 consecutive threes between the second and fourth quarters. However, their resilience and physicality helped them maintain control, especially in the contest’s final minutes.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well, but I thought we were the tougher team mentally and physically,” said Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch. “That’s when it showed itself. We knew we’d be good in the fourth quarter against this team throughout the entire series. We just needed to see a couple of shots go down opportunistically. Guys did a great job surviving the emotions of the game, which was always going to be tough.”
Gobert’s performance marked a significant shift from his earlier games in the series, where he had been relatively quiet offensively. He capitalized on mismatches against a Lakers team that lacked size for much of the contest and controlled both the scoring and rebounding in the paint. Gobert emphasized that the performance was not about personal redemption but part of a larger team objective.
“Feels great, but not vindication,” Gobert said postgame. “It’s not about beating a specific person. It’s about a championship, and we’ve got a little more work to do before that.”
Julius Randle contributed 23 points for Minnesota, while Anthony Edwards added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Conley, who had struggled from deep for most of the game, sealed the win with a crucial three-pointer in the final 90 seconds.
Luka Doncic scored 28 points and nine assists on the Lakers’ side. In his 21st NBA season, LeBron James scored 22 points, and Rui Hachimura added 23. Despite the high-profile midseason acquisition of Doncic, the Lakers were eliminated in the first round for the second consecutive postseason.
“There’s always a mix of disappointment and gratitude,” said Lakers head coach JJ Redick. “Certainly disappointed—this result is not something that I ever envisioned with this team, having to go in and talk to them after losing in the first round—but give Minnesota a lot of credit. They’re a really good basketball team, and I think our guys played hard enough and did all the right things. We tried to make it work with what we had and came up short.”
The loss continues a troubling trend for the Lakers, who have advanced beyond the first round only once in the five seasons since winning the 2020 championship in the NBA’s Orlando bubble.
With this victory, Minnesota won a playoff series in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. The Timberwolves will next face the winner of the ongoing first-round series between the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors. Houston managed to stay alive with a win on Wednesday, forcing a Game 6 scheduled for Friday. The Warriors currently lead that series 3-2.
As the Timberwolves look ahead to the next round, their ability to win despite poor shooting underscores a key playoff principle: adaptability and toughness often outweigh offensive precision in the postseason.
