Timberwolves' defense, persistence 3-1 ahead of Lakers

When the Lakers acquired Luka Dončić in early February, expectations for the season would have gone up and anything but a run to the Western Conference Finale would be a surprise. The Minnesota Timberwolves certainly had something to say, and they prove it on the square with a command event 3-1 in this first round.

Anthony Edwards brought his game to another level and not just statistically. As a superstar and leader of his team at the age of 23, 'Ant-Man' does everything in his power in order to convey to each of his teammates a trust in the alpha type. During the interviews, he always gives a shout-out at least one of his boys and their performance and gives examples of certain pieces or moments that triggered the wolves of wolves of dynamics. Jaden McDaniels, his teammate of five years in Minnesota, is often at the end of Edwards's hype.

Ant also supports his lecture and leadership on the hardwood. He not only challenged the best of himself on the offensive, but sometimes as a point of attack for the defense.

In the entire series, Edwards has guarded both Dončić and LeBron James and still scored an average of almost 30 points a night. In 40.5 minutes per game, with 29.8 in the playoffs with 29.8 goals of 45.2% FG / 43.2% 3p / 82.6% FT together with 7.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and only 1.5 sales. It is a small sample size compared to 2023-24, but he has more than halved his mistakes in the last post-season in the last season.

With the pressure assembly in the clutch period, Edwards painted even brighter at every occasion. In game 3, Ant achieved when he was knotted at 103, every basket of a 13: 1 wolf over the last 4:37 and forced Rui Hachimura to strengthen her 116-104 victory. In game 4, when Minnesota hit at 10 a.m., he set 43 points in the fourth quarter of his game and series height, while he crouched at the defensive end of both James and Dončić.

This intensity with the game on the line has led to a 105-69 advantage in the fourth quarter, which was achieved for Minnesota. They kept the Lakers to less than 20 points in three out of four last frames, with La in game 3 most of them. Despite all the highlighted heroic deeds by Ant-Man, it was really a team performance for the wolves.

Julius Randle enjoys the best after-season of his eleven-year career in his third playoff appearance. It was both inside and 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists at shooting 47.6% FG / 45.5% 3p / 83.3% of McDaniels is not only commissioned to defend Dončić, and also sets 19.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals, while he is 57.9% from the field and 42.9% Three -point range shoots.

Naz Reid, the Kia NBA sixth man of the year last season, sets the Lakers reserves with 13.8 ppg alone at 55.9% and 52.4% compared to three (with 5.3 attempts). In the entire series, it was equipped in fourth quarters and scored 6.5 points in 7.3 minutes with unreal divisions of 90.0% FG / 100.0% 3P / 100.0% ft.

As a team, Minnesota gets everything it wants and plays his strengths in defense. They achieve 48.5 points in the color (3rd) and limit Los Angeles to 33.5 (for 1. Bound), and the Timberwolves are the first points in the second chance (18.5), the second in fast break points (17.0) and third in the points from the points (19.5).

The wolves were in the defense of Elite by holding the Lakers off the field to an average of 35-to-79 (44.3%). They occupy the first field destinations (35.0) made in the opponents, the fifth in the field target percentage, third place in points from sales (10.5) and are bound to third place in the quick break points (9.3). They stubbornly able to force 14.5 sales (for the 4th), while they remained disciplined with only 10.8 giveaways (3rd).

Minnesota has his packing guide in Anthony Edwards. His sky -high trust and behavior have resonance with this squad and it shows up on the pitch. The timber wolves sit with fearless determination, which they have 3-1 and want to close the Lakers in game 5 tonight.