Minnesota Timberwolves 102 vs 108 Los Angeles Lakers summary: stats and highlights | NBA Play-In
The Los Angels Lakers are moving on to the first round of the NBA Playoffs after a heart-stopping win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night. LeBron James led LA with 30 points in the 108-102 overtime victory.
Red hot Lakers cool off to start game
The Lakers came into the game as the hottest team in the league, having won nine of eleven to close out the regular season and looked to keep the momentum going against the Timberwolves. Minnesota on the other hand, came into the Play-In game wobbling after suffering some self inflicted wounds on Sunday’s regular season finale against the Pelicans
Rudy Gobert was suspended by his own team after getting into an altercation with teammate Kyle Anderson in a timeout huddle, and Jaden McDaniels missed the game after punching a wall in frustration in the win against New Orleans.
LA might have been the hottest team in the league coming into the postseason, but they came out of the gate ice cold. They hit just one of their first eight field goals, and shot less than 35% from the field in the opening quarter.
KAT foul trouble stunted T’Wolves offense
Karl-Anthony Towns got the shorhanded T’Wolves off to a brilliant start, not just scoring the ball but filling the shoes of Gobert in the paint and dragging down rebounds. Taurean Prince gave some big minutes in the starting five, dropping 8 first quarter points.
The T’Wolves would extend the lead to double digits in the second quarter, but LeBron and Austin Reaves would claw back to take the lead for a moment three minutes before halftime. Mike Conley, who was a perfect three for three from downtown in the first half, and Towns responded with a 14-2 run to end the half to give Minnesota their largest lead of the first half.
Minnesota was in control of the game, leading by as many as 15 coming out of halftime, but Karl-Anthony Towns who was the T’Wolves best player picked up his fourth foul with 2:22 to go in the third quarter and things started to spiral from there.
AD spoils Schoder’s game winner
He would pick up his fifth foul with over nine minutes to go in the fourth quarter, and went to the bench. The Lakers immediately went on a 7-0 run to pull within six, but them both teams went cold from the floor.
The T’Wolves were 3/16 in the fourth and the Lakers were 4/17 from the field until the final minute of the game. LeBron hit a pull up three with two minutes on the clock to tie the game up as Minnesota went 5 minutes with out a point and wouldn't score again until there was 0.1 on the clock. With the game tied at 95-95 Dennis Schroder looked like he ended it with a corner three to put LA up with 1.4 second to go in the fourth, but Anthony Davis fouled Mike Conley from behind the three point line and Conley drilled all three free throws to send the game into overtime.
Rui Hachimura and Davis would put the Lakers up five in the first minutes of the OT session and the Lakers would hold on from there to secure their spot in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
The 24 point, 11 rebound game was not enough for Karl-Anthony Towns who’s night died down after picking up his fourth foul late in the third quarter. Anthony Edwards was silenced until the OT period going 1/11 from the field and ended the night with 9 points.
Lakers move on, T’Wolves have to wait
LeBron finished the game with 30, 10 and 6 assists as Davis poured in another 24 and pulled down 15 rebounds to clinch the seven seed and set up a first round matchup with the two seed Memphis Grizzlies.
The T’Wolves will have to rebound after this heartbreaking loss and await the winner of the Thunder vs. Pelicans game tomorrow night for a do or die matchup with a playoff spot on the line on Friday night.
AD knew exactly what he did and exactly how lucky the Lakers are to have survived that game, and after the game apologized to Schroder and Lakers nation for that late foul on Conley.
LA is on to the first round of the playoffs, and will take on the Memphis Grizzlies in a must see series.
The Lakers would shake off the last second heart break in OT and pull away for the 108-102 win.
Anthony Davis almost blew the game for LA fouling Conley on this last gasp three ball. Conley went to the line and hit all three FTs with 0.1 on the clock to send the game into overtime.
LeBron kicked it out to Schroder in the corner and he drilled what looked like the game winning three with 1.4 left on the clock.
LA trailed the entire second half, but Towns picked up his fourth foul in the third quarter and his fifth early in the fourth quarter and that turned the tides for the Lakers who tied the game up with 2 minutes to go thanks to this LeBron three ball.
Minnesota would go up double digits in the second half, but the Lakers cut into the lead and even pulled ahead momentarily, but Minnesota would punch back going into halftime with an 11 point lead.
LeBron had just 4 points after the first quarter, but started to head up in the second and as always would come up huge down the stretch.
LA was ice cold out of the gate, hitting just one of their first eight field goals and really couldn't get the offense going all night against the T'Wolves.
IT'S ALL OVER!!! THE LAKERS SURVIVE AFTER TRAILING FOR ALMOST THE ENTIRE SECOND HALF AND SECURE THE 7TH SEED IN THE NBA PLAYOFFS!
THEY WILL PLAY THE MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES WHILE THE TIMBERWOLVES AWAIT THE WINNER OF THE THUNDER VS. PELICANS GAME.
Davis fouled by Anderson and he hits one of two FTs.
Anderson overthrew Towns on the inbound and the Lakers get the ball back!
Timeout MIN with 8.4 on the clock.
Schroder fouled by Alexander-Walker and he goes to the line and hits both FTs.
Minnesota came up with the steal on the inbound, but Prince missed the three ball in the corner and Reaves gets the rebound with 11.1 to go!
Timeout Lakers who are looking to finally close this game out!
Edwards streaks to the iron and gets the finger roll to fall with 18.8 to go on the clock.
Timeout LA with 19 to go on the clock.
Hachimura gives the ball right back to the T'Wolves with an offensive foul with 35.5 to go.
Anderson called for the offensive foul with under a minute to go!
Davis powering his way to the iron after the entry pass from LeBron and he finishes in traffic!
Timeout MIN with 1:20 to go in overtime!
Edwards gets the rebound off the LeBron miss and he goes coast to coast for the slam!
Schroder on the give and go with AD and he gets the lay up to go down the lane.
Hachimura drills the three to get the OT session started!
CONELY STOKES ALL THREE FTS AND WE ARE HEADED TO OVERTIME IN LA!!!
DAVIS FOULED CONLEY BEHIND THE THREE POINT LINE AS THE CLOCK RAN OUT!!!
SCHRODER DRILLS THE CORNER THREE WITH 1.4 SECONDS ON THE CLOCK!!!
Anderson lost control of the ball and MIN is called for an over and back! Lakers ball with 21.7 to go in the game!
Timeout LA with a chance to win it on the final possession.
Prince picked off the inbound pass, and James was whistled for the foul diving for the loose ball.
MIN ball with 30.3 to go in the fourth, and the T'Wolves will take a timeout.
Edwards missed an open three ball and James gets the rebound! Lakers call a timeout with 32.1 on the clock!
MIN hasn't scores a point in over five minutes!
LeBron ties the game up with a pull up three with 2 minutes to go in the fourth quarter!
Davis follows up the Schoder shot and gets the jam95-92 to cut the lead to 3!
The Lakers are shooting 2/12 from the field in this quarter, but are still in striking distance. Timeout MIN with 4:18 to go in the fourth quarter.
Under 5 minutes to go from LA
Schroder at the line after the foul on Prince, and he hits both.
Conley strokes a huge three ball on the step back!! He's 6/7 from downtown and he's got 20 on the night!
Reaves goes to the line and hits both FTs after the foul on Edwards.
KAT back into the game with 5 fouls and Prince buries a three in the corner!
Davis is taking over in this fouth quarter! He hits the lay up slicing through the lane and the Lakers are within three points with 8:16 to go in the fourth!
Timeout MIN who have lost control of this game since KAT picked up his fourth foul.
Schroder fouled by Conley and he hits both FTs at the line. The T'Wolves lead is 5.
Towns just picked up his fifth foul with more than 9 minutes to go battling for a rebound with AD.
Davis hits a lay up and gets fouled right after, and he hits the FT to close the gap to 7!
Conley starts the fourth quarter with a three ball from the corner over the outstretched hand of AD!
The third quarter comes to a close and we have a 7 point game from LA!!!
We have 12 minutes to decide who is moving on to the playoffs as a 7 seed.
James follows the miss by Schroder and gets the put back!
Huge FT line jumper from Nowell to silence the crowd at Crypto.com Arena!
Beasley strings a three ball and you get the sense that the tides are starting to turn in LA!
Towns just picked up his fourth foul with 2:22 to go in the third, and LeBron hits both FTs at the line.
Hachimura called for a goaltend after the lay up attempt from Towns.
Give and go from Brown to LeBron and back to Brown and that leads to a lay up in transition!
Timeout Minnesota with 3:14 left in the third quarter!
Hachimura at the line after the foul on Anderson and he hits both FTs.
Alexander-Walker racing down the court after the Schroder three and he cocks back and drops the hammer!
Schroder drills a three ball for back to back buckets!
Nowell down low and he gets the lay up to go off the Anderson entry pass.
Schroder pulls up from the mid range and stings the jumper.
Alexander-Walker with a tough lay up from high off the glass and he gets it to fall.
Schroder to the line after the foul on Conley, and he hits both FTs.
Anderson on the catch and release three ball from the corner and the T'Wolves have their largest lead of the game!
Timeout Lakers with under 6 to go in the third quarter!
Prince pulls up in transition and drills the three ball! The MIN lead is back to 12!
Towns on the floater from the baseline and he is putting on a clinic
LeBron with the block on one end and gets the feed from Reaves on the other to finish with the lay up in transition.
Davis on the pick and roll with Russell and he gets the gliding lay up to go in traffic.
KAT comes up with a big three ball again to stretch the lead back to double digits!
Reaves finds LeBron trailing the play and he cuts through the land and throws it down!
The call was overturned after a successful coaches challenge.
Edwards was fouled by Davis, and LA is going to challenge the call! If the call stands it would be the third on AD.
Conley answers back with a long range effort and he is perfect from the field tonight! 5/5 including 4/4 from downtown!
Reaves drills a three and that's back to back triples for the Lakers!
LeBron steps into a three and drains the long range jumper! He's got 19 on the night.
Anderson starts the second half of with a mid range jumper to extend MIN's largest lead to 13.
WE ARE BACK IN ACTION FROM LA!!
At the half Towns has 17,6 and 4 assists to lead the T'Wolves, Conley has 11 and Prince has 8.
LeBron had 16 at half after scoring 12 in the second quarter and Davis has 12 and 9 rebounds.
The Lakers took the lead with three minutes left in the second quarter, but MIN went on a 14-2 run to jump back out to a double digit lead.
KAT wasn't just scoring for the T'Wolves. He did a little bit of everything in the first 24 minutes. He had 17, 6 and 4 assists in the first half.
The Lakers weren't shooting well, but Minnesota came to play on both ends as Anthony Edwards showed with this block on Hachimura to end the first quarter.
LeBron hit AD down low, but those two got off to a slow start as the Lakers shot 36% from the field.
KAT got started early and kept it on through the entire first half. He is going to need to be just as good in the second half if the T'Wolves are going to win this game.
Anderson may have got punched by Gobert on Sunday, but he started the game with a three ball showing no lasting affects of the friendly fire by the Frenchman.
That will do it for the first half of action from LA!!
The T'Wolves go into the half with their largest lead of the night after ending the half on a 14-2 run in the final 2:45 of the half.
Conley strings a three ball after the skip pass from Towns and that's a 14-2 run for the T'Wolves!
Towns at the line and he hits both FTs after the foul by LeBron.
Anderson got the pass on the baseline from Edwards and he hits the short floater over Russell. 9-2 run from the Timeberwolves over the last couple minutes. We are under a minute to go in the half.
Towns going to the basket, and he was blocked by Vanderbilt who got called for a goaltend.
LeBron got blocked by Towns, but AD was in the right place at the right time and he gets the put back down low.
Alexander-Walker drills two FTs after the foul on Davis.
Conley drills the triple try and the T'Wolves are taking everything the Lakers are throwing at them and still standing.
Davis hitting the boards hard, and he gets the put back to go and gets the foul! FT is no good.
Anderson breaks up the run with a floater in the lane to give the advantage back to Minnesota.
Unbelievable double clutch lay up from LeBron who watched it hang on the rim and drop! 14-2 run for the Lakers in the last few minutes and the Lakers take the lead!
Reaves with back to back buckets after LeBron finds him in transition and the Lakers cut the lead to 1!
Timeout T'Wolves with 4:17 on the clock!
Bodies hitting the floor and Brown Jr. came out of the scrum with the ball, passed it to Reaves from the deck and Reaves got the fast break bucket and the foul! FT is good to complete the three point play!
Davis fouled by Towns and he hits both FTs at the line. He has been quiet since the opening minutes of the game.
Towns at the line after the foul on Davis, and he hits both FTs. He's got 13 on the night.
Russell pull the trigger on the runner from the FT line and that drops for his first points of the night.
LeBron drills a three ball on the catch and shoot and that's 10 in the first 4:30 of this quarter!
Edwards fouled by LeBron out of the timeout, and he hits both FTs.
Nowell getting to the bucket and connecting from in the lane and the Lakers will call a timeout down 9 with 8:17 to go in the second quarter.
Beasley on the lay up underneath after the foul dish from Schroder.
Alexander-Walker drills a three from the corner after the kick out from Towns who is doing a little bit of everything.
LeBron going back at the rack and his shot was blocked, but a goaltending is called on Towns. That's 7 points already in the quarter.
LeBron hits the FT line jumper over Towns, and he's got 4 quick points in the quarter.
Alexander-Walker on the lay up after the over the shoulder pass from under the basket by Towns!
Towns at the line after the foul on Gabriel and he drops both FTs.
LeBron going right at the rack and he gets the lay up and the foul! FT is good to complete the three point play.
Nowell start the second quarter off with a three ball from the top of the key and the MIN lead is up to 9!
Edwards came up with a huge block on a dunk attempt from Hachimura to end the quarter and there was a very very very minor dust up between the two teams and that's how the first 12 minutes is going to end.
The Lakers shot just 34.6% from the field, as LeBron was held to 4 points and AD was held to 6.
Towns leads all scorers with 9 points, and Prince has 8 to give the T'Wolves the 6 point lead after the first quarter.
Prince strings a three ball after the baseline kick out from Edwards!
Towns pulls up with the runner on the baseline and gets the tough shot to drop.
Schroder is on the board for the first time tonight with a three ball after the kick out from Brown Jr.!
Towns wiggling his way to the bucket and he gets the lay up to go off the crystal.
Prince drills a three ball to stop the Hachimura 7-0 run!
Hachimura goes to the line after getting fouled by Anderson, and he hits both FTs. He's got 7 straight points off the bench to give the Lakers the lead.
Hachimura with a drive to the bucket from the perimeter and he goes up and under for the lay up, and he's got 5 quick points.
Timeout T'Wolves with 2:56 to go in the first quarter.
Hachimura drills a three ball out of the timeout and he's got a quick bucket off the bench!
Towns with a mid range jumper and the Lakers will take a timeout with 4:46 to go in the first quarter.
Vanderbilt found LeBron across the lane and he saw the ball hang on the rim and drop on the lay up from the right side.
Conley drills a deep three ball and that's three threes already for the T'Wolves tonight.
Prince in the lane and he gets the floater to go.
Reaves with a tough, contested shot in the lane and he gets it to go for his first points of the night.
LeBron with the strip and the outlet pass to Davis who threw it down on the break!
Davis spins in the lane and gets the roll on the short pull up.
Connley on the floater in traffic and gets it to drop in the lane.
LeBron was left alone in transition and Russell hit him on the baseline for the jam!
Towns drills a three and that's back to back triples for the Lakers!
Anderson was left alone on the perimeter and pulled up for three for the first MIN FG of the night!
Edwards was fouled by Vanderbilt and he goes to the line hitting one of two from the line.
Davis start the Lakers' night off with an offensive board and a turn around fade away from outside the paint. He needs to be big tonight and all through the post season for the Lakers to have success. LeBron will be LeBron, but Davis needs to be the best player on the the Lakers every night.
HERE WE GO!!! WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM CRYPTO.COM ARENA!!!
We've got 48 minutes to decide who is moving on as the 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Hawks advance
The Atlanta Hawks have defeated the Miami Heat 116-105 away from their home court to clinch the seven seed in the Eastern Conference. They out rebounded the Heat 63-39 in the opening Play-In game of the Tournament.
With no Gobert or Daniels, this is how the T'Wolves starting five looks. Conley will run the point with Edwards and Towns trying to carry Minnesota to the the playoffs.
LA starting 5
The Lakers have battled injuries all season long, but they their Big Two ready to go tonight in LA. LeBron and AD lead a Lakers five with Vanderbilt, Reaves and Russell in this win and in Play-In game from Crypto.com Arena.
Head-to-head
Minnesota leads the season series over LA 2-1 getting their first win against the Lakers in that stretch when the Lakers lost their first five games of the season. They didn’t meet again until after the trade deadline and the T’Wolves took down the new look Lakers at the beginning of March to win the season series, but in the last match up in Minnesota Davis put up 38 and 17 rebounds to give the Lakers their only win against the T’Wolves. It all comes down to Monday as the winner goes on to the playoffs as the seven seed in the West and the loser will have to take on the winner of the Pelicans vs. Thunder game.
Gobert suspended, McDaniels out
It was the talk of the NBA on the final day of the regular season. Rudy Gobert punching his teammate Kyle Anderson in the huddle of a second quarter timeout and getting sent home for the day. The organization decided to suspend him for this all important game tonight and on Sunday night Gobert had this to say on Twitter: Emotions got the best of me today. I should not have reacted the way i did regardless of what was said. I wanna apologize to the fans, the organisation and particularly to Kyle, who is someone that i truly love and respect as a teammate.” Not only will Gobert be out tonight, but their defensive stopper Jaden McDaniels will be out with a fractured right hand after punching the wall in the last game.
How the West will be won
The Lakers and the Timberwolves ended the regular season neck and neck in the standings with LA earning the 7 seed and Minnesota getting the 8 seed because of a tiebreak advantage over the New Orleans Pelicans. That sets up this 7 vs. 8 match up tonight and the loser of this game will have to play whoever wins the Thunder vs. Pelicans game to find out who they play on Friday night.
T'Wolves in LA ready for showtime
All the attention will be surrounded on Rudy Gobert and his antics on Sunday, but Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards understand there is a job to do tonight. They have been the rocks for the T’Wolves in a season full of ups and downs but tonight they will need their stars to shine against the hottest team in the league.
LeBron, AD and LA look to keep in rolling
The Lakers have gone through a dramatic turnaround since the beginning of the season credit to the midseason moves made by the front office during the trade deadline. Tony Brown Jr., Jared Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley and D’Angelo Russell have changed the culture in LA, and now LeBron and AD don’t have to carry the team on a nightly basis but make no mistake these are still the two stars and if the Lakers win it will be because of both of these guys.
MInnesota's bumpy end to the season
The T’Wolves had an outside chance of getting a 6 seed as well, but the Lakers and Warriors didn’t do them any favors. In a game that seemingly everything went wrong for Minnesota, they were still able to pull off the home victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. After scoring just 18 points in the first quarter, the T’Wolves called a timeout in the second quarter and an argument between Kyle Anderson and Rudy Gobert broke out in the huddle. Gobert punched Anderson, and was subsequently sent home for the rest of one of the biggest games of the season. Just before that Jaden McDaniels was ruled out for the day after punching a wall in the tunnel in frustration due to the slow start. Despite the turbulent day, Karl-Anthony Town and Anthony Edwards did what they have been doing all year. They put the team on their back and carried them to victory. KAT had 30 points and 8 rebounds and Edwards posted 26 and 13 rebounds in the 113-108 win.
Lakers win regular season closer
The Lakers had a chance at a Top 6 spot in the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, but even if they won they would need some help from the Portland who got blown out by Golden State. Despite not getting the help from the Blazers, LeBron and the Lakers took care of the Utah Jazz in a game in which they lead for almost all 48 minutes. LeBron hit 8 threes, including two late ones to seal the game an lock up the 7 seed going into the Play-In.
We are live from Crypto.com Arena
Hello everyone and welcome to Los Angeles where the Lakers come into tonight’s Play-In game as the hottest team in the league after winning nine of their final eleven games. For as good as they were to close out the season, it didn’t make up for the dreadful start to the campaign, and that’s why they will have to get through the Timberwolves tonight to qualify for the first round of the playoffs. Minnesota has been hanging on after a midseason shake up to the roster, but things got rocky on the final day of the season when two teammates were involved in a timeout scuffle in one of the most important games of the campaign.
T'Wolves vs. Lakers
It’s Play-In time in the City of Angels and a playoff spot is on the line as the Los Angeles Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves from Crypto.com Arena. The winner will get the 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, while the loser will play an all-or-nothing matchup against the winner of the 9 vs. 10 seed. AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis of tonight’s win and in matchup from LA.