LOS ANGELES – The Lakers nearly squandered a 22-point lead in Tuesday’s Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but a fiery timeout from head coach JJ Redick sparked a crucial rally. With their advantage trimmed to 11 in the third quarter, Redick stormed onto the court, halting play before Luka Dončić could inbound the ball.
“What the hell is going on?!” Redick yelled, his frustration audible on the TNT broadcast. “What are you guys doing? Wake up!”
The Lakers responded with a 9-0 run, rebuilding their lead and ultimately securing a 94-85 victory to even the first-round series at 1-1.
“That’s just JJ,” LeBron James said of his coach’s intensity. “The message matters more than how it’s delivered—and we responded the right way.”
The win marked a stark turnaround from Game 1’s 117-95 blowout, where the Timberwolves dominated in nearly every category. This time, the Lakers flipped the script—limiting Minnesota to just 5-for-25 from three after their record-setting shooting in the opener, winning the fast-break battle (13-6), and outrebounding the Wolves (41-34).
James credited the team’s renewed focus, stemming from an intense practice the day before. “We knew after that session—one of our best all year—that we had to bring that same energy into the game,” he said.
Dončić led Minnesota with 31 points and nine assists, a notable improvement after his one-assist performance in Game 1. “Nine assists—is that good enough for you?” he joked postgame when asked about balancing his playmaking and scoring.
For the Lakers, James (21 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists), Austin Reaves (16 points), and Rui Hachimura (11 points, 2 steals) provided key contributions. Hachimura, in particular, earned praise for playing through an early facial injury, returning with a mask to make critical defensive stops.
“He was a warrior tonight,” Redick said. “Probably getting X-rays right now, but he gave us everything.”
Though the Lakers’ offense sputtered in the fourth (5-for-19, six turnovers), their defense held firm, never letting the lead slip below nine. Team executive Rob Pelinka dubbed the gritty win a “rock fight” as he left the arena.
Reaves acknowledged the physical challenge posed by Minnesota’s towering frontcourt but emphasized the Lakers’ refusal to be outmuscled again. “They punked us in Game 1,” he said. “Tonight, we made sure that didn’t happen.”
Now, the series shifts to Minnesota for Game 3 on Friday, where the Lakers will aim to reclaim home-court advantage.
“It’s going to be a war,” Dončić said. “Their crowd will be insane. We can’t panic—we have to stay together.”
For the Lakers, maintaining that composure—and their renewed toughness—will be key to surviving the battle ahead.
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