Game 3 Preview: Lakers at Timberwolves

The Timberwolves look to recapture their offensive rhythm in their homecoming to the Target Center with an opportunity to take a 2-1 series lead.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers – Game 3
Date: April 25th, 2025
Time: 8:30 PM CDT
Location: Target
Television Coverage: ESPN & Fan Duel Spots Network
Radio Coverage: Wolves App/iHeart Radio

Game 3 Preview: Can Minnesota recapture its offensive flow?

The Minnesota Timberwolves disrupted the narrative in Game 1, pulverizing the Los Angeles Lakers with physicality and shooting as their explosive offense lit the flames of excitement across Minnesota. It was a dominating performance that turned the narrative of the Timberwolves, major underdogs, upside down.

In Game 2, however, we saw a completely different team, with a complete departure from ball movement, as the team leaned heavily on isolation for their offense. It was a disjointed effort that nullified a tremendous defensive performance.

The good news? The Timberwolves have stolen home court from the Lakers and are headed back to Minnesota with the opportunity to put LA into a stranglehold.

The 2024-25 Timberwolves season closely resembles a roller coaster at your local theme park. Up and down with unpredictable corkscrews, which made it incredibly difficult to gauge the team. At their best, the Timberwolves are an explosive offense led by 23-year-old superstar Anthony Edwards and a suffocating defense with incredible depth capable of systematically wearing down their hopeful opponents. ‘

After a letdown in Game 2, the narrative has already shifted back towards the star-studded Lakers. But the thing about the Timberwolves is that when the national perspective begins to rain doubt, Minnesota tends to respond.

Let’s jump into how Minnesota can get back on track in Game 3.

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

It starts with Anthony Edwards

Minnesota goes as Anthony Edwards goes. In Game 1, Edwards surgically dissected the Lakers’ defensive coverage, racking up nine assists as the Timberwolves manufactured open look after open look. In Game 2, Edwards finished without a single assist for the first time in three years.

That cannot happen again.

Too often, Edwards would either hesitate or pass out of a one-on-one matchup on the perimeter against Luka Dončić. You need Edwards to take advantage of the matchup and penetrate the defense. When Edwards decided to go, he easily blew past Dončić to put pressure on the Lakers’ defense.

After Game 2, Edwards spoke about how the Lakers’ defense was confusing, and it showed. Ant needs to play with decisiveness and get the defense to collapse. If you can get more penetration in Game 3, then the entire offense will begin to open up.

Less isolation, more ball movement

If I could describe the Timberwolves’ offense in one word on Tuesday night, I am overwhelmingly pulled toward ‘stagnant’. Julius Randle’s bully ball was the Timberwolves’ only source of reliable offense, as he bulldozed his way to 27 points on 9/17 shooting. Though it was crucial to stemming the tide, the stagnant offense and ISO-heavy play allowed the Lakers to insulate themselves against below-average defenders on the perimeter with a basic zone.

Without consistent penetration or ball movement, the Timberwolves failed to get the Lakers to collapse their defense and find open shooters.

The Timberwolves will need to play more decisive basketball and take advantage of mismatches.

Control the boards

Heading into the series, rebounding was a clear advantage for Minnesota. Following the all-star break, Minnesota was the 8th-best rebounding team in the league by rebounding percentage, while the Lakers clocked in at 17th.

The roles were reversed in game two as the Lakers out-hustled Minnesota, winning the battle on the glass 41-34. The Lakers often opted to switch onto Rudy Gobert, and Gobert answered the challenge.

The downside of Rudy taking on the challenge on the perimeter is that it takes Minnesota’s best rebounder out of position to control the glass, giving the Lakers’ undersized frontcourt a fighting chance to extend possessions.

Minnesota will need to match LA’s intensity on the glass and help cover for Rudy as he takes on the Challenge of Luka, Lebron, and Austin Reaves.

Can Minnesota’s “others” make an impact

The Timberwolves’ top 8 rotation is among the most talented in the entire league, boasting a bench trio in Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Donte DiVincenzo that could all start on most teams. The trio combined for 17 points on 5-18 shooting in game 2, where early foul trouble threw off the rhythm of Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo.

That isn’t going to cut it.

The Timberwolves need their bench to get back on track and win their minutes.

Jaden McDaniels, are you there?

McDaniels followed up a 25-point breakout game 1 with a disappointing 8 points on 3-11 shooting. With teams loading up on Anthony Edwards with an abundance of shooters surrounding the perimeter, Jaden McDaniels is the Timberwolves’ defensive breaker.

Through two games, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves have spent the most time guarding McDaniels, and with his 6-11 frame, you’d like to see more aggressiveness to attack his favorable matchup. Ball movement from Minnesota’s stars, Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards, is crucial to getting Jaden touches in a position to punish LA’s defense.

With Rudy getting switched onto the perimeter, you need McDaniels to step up as a rebounder to limit second-chance points.

Bottom Line – You’ve defended well, can you find consistency offensively?

Minnesota has held the Lakers to 94 and 95 points in the series so far. The defense has yet again translated to the postseason, but inconsistencies offensively have Minnesota playing with fire.

Anthony Edwards needs to find his rhythm in the series and be the superstar we all know he’s capable of being. Minnesota has better depth and legitimate matchups that they can exploit against LA, but the Wolves continue to show signs of immaturity that stall the team’s momentum. While it’s not do or die just yet, Minnesota has an opportunity to take control of this series this weekend. Can they maintain their composure and execute on mismatches?

Tune in Friday night as the Wolves aim for a 2-1 series lead.