Lakers realize they've got to do some quick work after Timberwolves' blowout win in series opener

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Lakers realize they've got to do some quick work after Timberwolves' blowout win in series opener

2025-04-20 13:33 Last Updated At：13:43

LOS ANGELES (AP) — When Luka Doncic scored 16 points in the first quarter of his playoff debut with his new team, the Los Angeles Lakers' downtown arena crackled with excitement from fans probably imagining dream scenarios for their team and its new superstar this spring.

The Timberwolves made sure that dream got ugly quite quickly in Game 1. They also left the Lakers looking for ways to help Doncic before Minnesota runs away with this first-round series.

Doncic scored 37 points and eight rebounds, but it wasn't nearly enough to counter the Wolves' balanced scoring in their 117-95 victory Saturday night.

After an impressive start by their Slovenian superstar, the Lakers were comprehensively embarrassed during their first postseason Game 1 in front of a full home arena since 2012. Los Angeles didn't demonstrate the toughness necessary to hang with the physical, veteran Wolves on defense — and only Doncic produced an impressive game on offense.

The combination led to a 27-point deficit in the second half and a laugher of a victory for the Wolves, who immediately seized homecourt advantage in the series after finishing just one win behind the Lakers in the regular season.

“They’re a great opponent,” JJ Redick said after losing his playoff coaching debut. “They’re one of the best teams in basketball. It’s not to say our guys weren’t ready to withstand playoff-level basketball. We were mentally ready, and I thought our spirit was right. ... I’m not sure physically we were ready, if that makes sense. When they start playing with a lot of thrust and physicality, we really just couldn’t respond to that.”

Minnesota's superior physicality was obvious for long stretches, even with Rudy Gobert playing only 24 minutes. But the Wolves took control and kept it largely because they hit 21 3-pointers on only 42 attempts.

The Lakers lack a dominant big man after trading Anthony Davis, and Jaden McDaniels took advantage of that while scoring 25 points. But that doesn't explain the Lakers' poor effort on the perimeter, where they have enough athletes to guard most teams competently when they make the effort.

“I think it was physical, (and) they were hitting a lot of 3s,” Doncic said. “We have to limit their 3s, especially their lasers. We weren’t physical. They were running. They were getting anything they want, and we have to be better.”

Doncic knew that applied to him personally on the offensive end despite his gaudy point total: The gifted passer had just one assist, his lowest total since Game 1 of last season's NBA Finals.

LeBron James also got off to an unimpressive start to his 18th NBA postseason, scoring 19 points and going 1 for 5 on 3-point attempts while producing only three assists and five rebounds in 36 minutes.

The 40-year-old James can't be shaken by one loss, and he focused on clear areas for improvement in Game 2 on Tuesday. He particularly lamented the Lakers' transition defense, which allowed 25 fast-break points.

“Throughout the whole season we did a great job of not allowing teams to get fast break point after fast break point,” James said. “We already know offensively how dangerous they are, so in giving teams an opportunity to get those easy points, it’s gonna be hard to make that up.”

The Lakers' crowd stayed in the game throughout the night, but the huge second-half deficit obviously dampened the excitement. Minnesota star Anthony Edwards wasn't exactly complimentary about that crowd after the Wolves cruised to victory, either

“An atmosphere like this, it’s easy for me, man," Edwards said. "I’ve played in Denver, man. Denver is a tough place to play on the road. So I mean, it was nothing.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Jacob Wilson comes home to Los Angeles and leads Athletics' 18-hit attack in 11-1 rout of Dodgers

2025-05-14 14:35 Last Updated At：14:50

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jacob Wilson won’t forget his Dodger Stadium debut. The Athletics rookie hit a pair of two-run homers against the defending World Series champions in an 11-1 rout.

Growing up in Thousand Oaks, about 40 miles from Los Angeles, Wilson visited the ballpark as a kid. His father, Jack, was an All-Star shortstop during his major league career with Pittsburgh, Seattle and Atlanta.

Wilson had about 25 family and friends in the stands and they got loud.

“For them to show up and have that game was pretty special,” he said Tuesday night.

The 23-year-old shortstop went 4 for 5 and had a career-high four RBIs, boosting his batting average to .363. His 58 hits are second in the majors behind Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees.

Wilson had his eighth multi-hit game in his last 12. His first four-hit game came last week against Seattle.

“We talked about his ability to put the barrel to the baseball and you saw every bit what he is capable of doing,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “This kid is off to a great start and continues to do things that in some ways, we’re watching him grow up as a big leaguer right now.”

Thanks to his father, Wilson already had a comfort level around the major leagues.

“He is really advanced in his approach and just the way he plays the game,” Kotsay said. “It definitely helps to get your feet on the ground but from the confidence standpoint you still have to have the results and have the success and he’s been doing that since we drafted him.”

Wilson has struck out just nine times and leads American League rookies in batting average and several other categories.

His first two-run shot in the third gave the A's a 2-0 lead. He did it again in the fifth to make it 4-1. Both homers came off Landon Knack.

“The guy's a very good player,” Knack said. “The guy does seem to hit everything. I got to execute a little better.”

Wilson said, "I don’t hit too many homers, so to be able to get the multi-one now out of the way was pretty awesome.”

The A's had a season-high five homers as part of their 18-hit attack.

“To be able to come here on their home field and with the talent they have on their roster, to be able to get that first win, it really just shows that we can play with the power teams in the league,” Wilson said.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB