NBA Playoffs: Round 1- Lakers vs timberWolves

Written By: Aaron Allen

The #3 seed Los Angeles Lakers go up against the #6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of this year's NBA playoffs. Many All-Stars on the court, and only one team can come out on top and advance to the next round, the only question is which team will it be? ​

Photo Credit: Matt Krohn LAPRESSE

Starting off with the #6 team in the West, the Timberwolves really made a jump on the back half of the season going from an 8th seed play-in team, to now securing their spot in the playoffs as the 6th seed. A major part of that jump is obviously the young superstar Anthony Edwards. Ant had a great season averaging 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists this year achieving a feat such as leading the league in 3 pointers made; knocking down 7 threes in the last game to achieve it. Most can make the claim that there is no argument, and the Los Angeles Lakers are the clear winners in their eyes, but one thing the whole world should’ve learned from last year's playoffs is to never count out Anthony Edwards. This young superstar led his team in that playoff run doing things like sweeping Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns and even going to the Western Conference Finals. Fast forward to this season, all he’s shown us is that he’s just getting started and is only getting better and better with more experience. This year though, the Timberwolves roster is looking different with a big piece, in Karl-Anthony Towns, being traded from there to New York. It does look like some of the pieces, if not all, were picked up with the addition of Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle. Donte is coming off a good year with the New York Knicks and is cementing himself as a serious threat from the three ball, and Julius Randle being Julius Randle. Meaning he should be playing like the All-Star we know he is, and Julius is known to be one to get shut down during the playoffs, but he cannot let that happen on this team or it won’t look good at all for the Timberwolves. The Timberwolves are going to need everyone to be playing their best basketball and cannot afford any mistakes. 

The Los Angeles Lakers had a very rough start to their season in the first half just as the Timberwolves, but since the addition of Luka Donicic they have turned it all the way up and haven’t turned it down since. Luka Doncic is undoubtedly one of the best players in the league, and as he’s coming off a Finals appearance, not only does he now have a little more playoff experience, he knows what he and his team needs to do to get to the NBA Finals. Luka has been averaging 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists for the Lakers and that has been a major contribution for the team. But as soon as you put all of your attention on Luka, in comes Lebron James who is still undeniably one of the best players in the league and his knowledge of the game and playoffs and finals are just unmatched. Lebron has been putting up 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists at the age of 40 years old. This man is a freak of nature and still can’t be stopped by the league! Then when you focus all of your defensive schemes around Lebron and Luka, in comes Austin Reaves who really had an amazing season for himself. He put up 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists this season, which are really good numbers especially considering he has Lebron and Luka on a team with him. If you leave him open though, 20 isn’t even in question, that is an easy 30 ball for the star, and that would be the last thing the Timberwolves need. Overall besides those three, the Lakers have themselves a solid well built team and together it’s really hard to not have them at least in your mind as one of the teams to make it out the West. ​

Photo Credit: Fanatics.com

At the end of the day, there's not a lot of arguing you can do when it comes to this series because on paper it looks like the Lakers are the clear winners and even have a shot at a Championship even, but as stated before, you can never count out the young superstar himself Anthony Edwards, and don’t be shocked when he completely takes this series over. ​