Luka Doncic delivered 31 points as the Los Angeles Lakers bounced back from a blowout loss to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 94–85 on Tuesday night, levelling their first-round NBA playoff series at 1–1.
Rui Hachimura briefly left the court with a bloody nose in the opening quarter but returned shortly after — first in a protective mask, which he later discarded — reflecting the Lakers' determination in a physical contest at Crypto.com Arena.
LeBron James scored 21 points along with 11 rebounds and seven assists, while also registering a key fourth-quarter steal that helped maintain the lead.
Austin Reaves added 16 points for Los Angeles, who surged to a 22-point early lead and managed to keep Minnesota at bay despite scoring only 60 points over the final three quarters.
“Game 1 showed us a lot of what we didn’t do well,” said James. “We took it personally, held each other accountable and came back with the right mindset.”
The Timberwolves struggled to replicate their Game 1 dominance, when they hit 21 three-pointers in a 117–95 rout. In Game 2, Julius Randle posted 27 points and Anthony Edwards added 25, but the Lakers' defensive adjustments slowed down Minnesota’s rhythm.
“The way they’re guarding me, it’s like they go into a zone when I get the ball,” Edwards said. “There’s always two or three defenders. I’ve got to move quicker and read better.”
The game featured 46 personal fouls and several video reviews, with both teams enduring physical confrontations. Hachimura took a second shot to the face and wore a different mask in the second half.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick said his team needed to "switch the urgency button back on," which he emphasised during a fourth-quarter timeout laced with frustration.
“We knew they’d come with energy,” said Randle. “They were physical, we were stagnant and couldn’t find the looks we got last game.”
Game 3 is set for Friday night in Minneapolis, with the series finely poised and tensions running high.
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