This Saturday, April 19, the 2025 NBA playoffs begin. There are several intriguing matchups in the first round. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst went on SportsCenter to talk with Scott Van Pelt on Thursday.
Windhorst said that the Lakers vs. Timberwolves series is tightly contested. Los Angeles reloaded at the trade deadline and acquired Luka Doncic. However, the Timberwolves made a run to the Western Conference Finals in the 2024 playoffs. They do not plan on making a first-round exit this postseason. Who will win this star-studded first-round match-up?
Will the Timberwolves be able to upset the Lakers in the playoffs?
“This series is really tight in my view.”@WindhorstESPN talks about what to expect from the Lakers vs. Timberwolves series in the NBA playoffs 🏀 pic.twitter.com/csnmtzBbif
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 18, 2025
Speaking with his colleague Scott Van Pelt, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said the Lakers vs. Timberwolves series is “tight in my view.” He explained how the Lakers have an “incomplete roster”. Los Angeles acquired Luka Doncic at the trade deadline. However, their current roster was built around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. When the Lakers acquired Luka, they had to trade Anthony Davis to Dallas.
That left Jaxson Hayes as their only center on the roster who sees any real playing time. Los Angeles uses smaller rotations, often having forwards as their front-court players. Minnesota could have the advantage with front-court depth like Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, and Julius Randle. Windhorst also noted that the Timberwolves have a dominant star in Anthony Edwards.
He can single-handedly keep Minnesota alive in the playoffs. For his postseason career, Edwards averages 27.8 points per game. The Timberwolves have several capable scorers who can help Minnesota upset the Lakers. Additionally, their team defense is significantly better than Los Angeles. For those reasons, Brian Windhorst believes the Lakers vs. Timberwolves series will be highly contested.
