Minnesota Timberwolves defeat Los Angeles Lakers 103-96 in Game 5 to win the first-round series 4-1 and move to the Western Conference Semifinals
Rudy Gobert led the Timberwolves with a dominant 27-point, 24-rebound performance as Minnesota eliminated the Lakers 4-1 in the 2025 NBA Playoffs’ first round. Despite Luka Dončić’s 28 points, the Lakers fall short in back-to-back seasons.
Final Score : Lakers (96) vs Timberwolves (103)
Timberwolves Eliminate Lakers in Round 1
The Minnesota Timberwolves knocked the Los Angeles Lakers out of the 2025 NBA Playoffs with a 103-96 win in Game 5 of the first-round series at Crypto.com Arena. With this win, the Timberwolves won the Series in 5 games (4-1) and moved past the 1st round for the second year in a row, which is a franchise record!
Star Players
Rudy Gobert put together a career playoff night, scoring 27 points, 24 rebounds (not a typo), and 2 blocked shots. Gobert owned the paint, with no true center on the Lakers lineup.
Julius Randle scored 23 points, and Anthony Edwards added 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists in a tough shooting night (0-for-11 from three).
For the Lakers, Luka Dončić dropped 28 points and 9 assists, Rui Hachimura scored 23, and LeBron James contributed 22.
Lakers Collapse After Mid-Season Physics-Defying Flurry
The Lakers made a roster change mid-season with a blockbuster trade bringing in Luka Dončić hoping for a deep playoff run. Despite rising to the 3rd seed, they were eliminated in the first round two seasons in a row.
Head coach JJ Redick made a controversial decision to go small for Game 5, replacing center Jaxson Hayes with Dorian Finney-Smith. Rudy Gobert exploited this mismatch in the paint.
The Flow of the Game
- Strong Start: Minnesota jumped out to a 14-point lead after the first quarter.
- Lakers Comeback: Despite Dončić’s injury concern, the Lakers briefly led 88-87 with 6:29 left.
- Wolves Close Strong: Minnesota answered with a 15-9 run to seal the win.
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists |
| Rudy Gobert | 27 | 24 | 2 Blocks |
| Julius Randle | 23 | 8 | 2 |
| Anthony Edwards | 15 | 11 | 8 |
| Luka Dončić | 28 | 7 | 9 |
| Rui Hachimura | 23 | 6 | 3 |
| LeBron James | 22 | 5 | 4 |
What’s Next?
The Timberwolves now await the winner of the Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets series in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Rockets staved off elimination by defeating the Warriors 131-116 to bring the series to 3-2. Game 6 is Friday.
Final Thoughts
Minnesota’s defensive identity, led by Gobert, overwhelmed a star-studded Lakers team struggling to find playoff rhythm. With another early exit, serious roster and coaching questions face the Lakers this offseason.
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