The Los Angeles Lakers’ season got off to a rough start as they lost to the Golden State Warriors on Opening Night. Things didn’t get any easier for JJ Redick’s team in the second game either as they welcomed to town the Minnesota Timberwolves, who eliminated them in the first round last season.
After receiving a full offseason to recalibrate though with Luka Doncic getting into elite shape and adding a starting caliber center in Deandre Ayton, the Lakers were more equipped to face a great team like Minnesota.
They showed that on Friday night L.A. came away with a 128-110 early-season statement win with Luka Doncic leading the way with 49 points.
Playing hard has been a focal point for the Lakers so far this season and after the Timberwolves win, Redick spoke with his team about how it can be a reference point moving forward:
JJ Reddick locker room talk after the game yesterday
YT/lakers pic.twitter.com/ErsYIGqkJB
— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) October 25, 2025
In a competitive Western Conference, the Lakers will need to beat high caliber teams if they hope to be a top-six seed. By beating the team that eliminated them last year, it is a step in the right direction and puts into perspective the ceiling for this L.A. squad.
Without LeBron James, Doncic is allowed to show what it will be like to lead a Lakers franchise and so far, so good. He dropped 92 points through two games and the Slovenian appears hungry to stay above water until his co-star returns.
If the purple and gold can be above .500 until James comes back, team confidence should be high. Redick needs to bottle this performance against Minnesota though, particularly defensively and having lineups on a string, which is the Lakers’ biggest question mark currently.
JJ Redick pleased with Lakers’ third quarter vs. Timberwolves
Third quarters have plagued the Lakers for what feels like an eternity and head coach JJ Redick searched for answers after losing their opener. Whatever adjustments were made, they clearly had an impact on L.A. coming out with energy and effort against the Timberwolves.
The Lakers responded with a 40-point quarter coming out of the locker room, which hasn’t been the norm with this team. Redick expressed that he was pleased with how his team came out of halftime, especially against a formidable Timberwolves roster.
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