Luka scores 31, and the Lakers muscle past the Timberwolves 94-85 to even 1st-round series

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rui Hachimura got smacked in the face early in Game 2, and he headed to the Los Angeles Lakers' locker room with a bleeding nose. He was back on the court just one quarter later wearing a mask, which he discarded shortly afterward because it annoyed him.

The Lakers said they collectively got smacked in the mouth by the blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first-round series opener. Game 2 was all about their response — and LeBron James loved his team's tenacity.

Luka Doncic had 31 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, and the Lakers fought back to even their series with Minnesota with a 94-85 victory Tuesday night.

“We looked at what we didn’t do so well, which is a lot of things in Game 1,” said James, who scored 21 points and made a key steal in the fourth quarter. “We took it to heart, held each other accountable and had a much better result.”

Game 3 is Friday night in Minneapolis.

Austin Reaves added 16 for the third-seeded Lakers, who jumped out to an early 22-point lead and hung on through a physical matchup with sixth-seeded Minnesota.

Los Angeles scored only 60 points in the final three quarters, but the Wolves never got closer than nine points. Coach JJ Redick was proud of his players' response — even if he had to unload on them in the fourth quarter during a profanity-laden timeout to maintain their focus down the stretch.

“I think tonight was just more about getting that urgency button switched back on,” Redick said.

Julius Randle scored 27 points and Anthony Edwards had 25 for the Timberwolves, who lost most of their offensive fluidity from Game 1. Edwards said the Lakers' defensive adjustments made it “kind of hard” on him.

“The way that they’re guarding us, when I catch the ball, they kind of go zone, and when I try to attack a gap, it’s like three people,” Edwards said. “I've just got to make my decisions a little quicker, and we’ll be all right.”

James added 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers, who never lost control of a chippy, choppy game with 46 personal fouls and multiple video reviews. James and Hachimura both took hard shots to the face, and Hachimura donned a second mask after halftime.

The Wolves hit 21 3-pointers while blowing out the Lakers 117-95 in Game 1. Los Angeles went up by 19 in the first quarter of Game 2 while Doncic exploited isolations on Rudy Gobert.

“We knew they would come with high intensity, with energy,” Randle said. “We knew it was going to be physical. ... We were stagnant, missed open looks, missed layups. They were just in a rhythm.”

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Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) looks to pass around Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) passes during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) goes to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA first-round playoff series in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) dribbles against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) and center Naz Reid (11) during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA first-round playoff series in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) goes to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) goes to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA first-round playoff series in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) interact during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA first-round playoff series in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

The first five games of the Winnipeg-St. Louis series have all had the same result. The home team won.

The Blues need that trend to continue Friday — or else.

Game 6 of the Jets-Blues matchup awaits in St. Louis, with Winnipeg — the NHL's best team in the regular season — holding a 3-2 series lead. The Blues rolled to wins on their home ice in Games 3 and 4, taking those games by scores of 7-2 and 5-1 to extend a run of invincibility there that has lasted for more than two months.

“It's a tough building to play in,” Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov said. “But I know we can get the win there.”

If they do, they will be doing so without star Mark Scheifele, the team's second-leading scorer and leader in game-winning goals this season. Scheifele was hurt in Game 5 and wasn't flying with Winnipeg to St. Louis on Thursday for Game 6.

The teams had different opinions about when Scheifele got hurt, but the bottom line is the Jets will be missing a big part of their team for a potential closeout game.

“Certainly, not having him is going to be huge,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said Thursday. “But at the end of the day, last night, our three centermen had to step up and play big minutes and did a great job. ... So proud of the group, how everybody stepped up. It's kind of what our team has done all year. Guys go down, other guys step in.”

Winnipeg was the most recent visiting team to win in St. Louis — but that was more than two months ago.

The Blues have put together the longest home winning streak in the NHL this season, a 14-game run that started on Feb. 23 and hasn't stopped. St. Louis has outscored opponents 69-25 in that span at home, winning by an average of a whopping 3.14 goals per game.

“We've played some good hockey at home for a couple months now,” St. Louis' Brayden Schenn said. “We're comfortable there.”

That's a bit of an understatement. The Blues have simply looked like a different team in their own building; St. Louis has had stretches of three goals in five minutes, three goals in eight minutes and three goals in 15 minutes so far in this series on its own ice.

They looked nothing like that club in Game 5, a 5-3 Winnipeg win that probably wasn't as close as that score would make it seem. Blues coach Jim Montgomery didn't waste any time thinking about that game once the final horn sounded.

“We can analyze every part of it. They were better,” Montgomery said. “So, we're on to the next one.”

It took St. Louis a long — long — time to get home on Thursday, after their travel plans were seriously delayed.

The Blues had plane issues trying to leave Winnipeg and, after a replacement jet was sent to Manitoba, they finally took off about eight hours behind schedule.

The Jets landed in St. Louis around 3 p.m. Central time on Thursday, actually a tiny bit ahead of schedule, while the Blues didn't get there until about 9 p.m.

When/Where to Watch: Game 6, Friday. 8 p.m. (TNT/truTV/Max)

Series: Jets lead 3-2

Winnipeg hasn't closed out a series with a road win since 2018, and getting it done Friday will be difficult.

Forget St. Louis' 14-game home winning streak, which is impressive enough. The Blues simply don't give up scoring chances in their building; they have allowed two goals or less in 11 of those 14 wins, and that level of stinginess puts enormous pressure on the other team's netminder.

That said, Winnipeg goalie and MVP hopeful Connor Hellebuyck has reveled in big moments like this all season.

The newly announced Hart Trophy finalist — alongside Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl and Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov — led the NHL with 47 wins, a 2.00 GAA, and a .925 save percentage this season, had eight shutouts, steered Winnipeg to its first Presidents’ Trophy, won the William M. Jennings Trophy (fewest goals allowed) for the second straight year and seems like a lock for the Vezina Trophy (top goalie) for the second straight year and third time in six seasons.

If Hellebuyck does win the Hart as MVP, he'd be the fourth goalie in the league's expansion era to do it alongside Dominik Hasek, José Théodore and Carey Price. He was pulled twice in St. Louis and has a gaudy 3.96 goals-against average and .822 save percentage in this series — including all three wins.

“He's our best player,” Namestnikov said.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

St. Louis Blues' Brayden Schenn (10) celebrates with Colton Parayko (55) after scoring against the Winnipeg Jets during the second period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series Sunday, April 27, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Connor Hamilton)

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) saves the shot from Winnipeg Jets' Jaret Anderson-Dolan (28) during first period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

Winnipeg Jets' Dylan DeMelo (2), Vladislav Namestnikov (7), Gabriel Vilardi (13) and Kyle Connor (81) celebrate DeMelo's goal against the St. Louis Blues during second period NHL playoff action in Winnipeg on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

St. Louis Blues head coach Jim Montgomery questions referee Kelly Sutherland during first period NHL playoff action against the Winnipeg Jets in Winnipeg on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) makes the save off Winnipeg Jets' Gabriel Vilardi's (13) wraparound attempt during the third period of an NHL playoff game in Winnipeg on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues players rough it up after the Blues score during the third period of an NHL playoff game in Winnipeg on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)