When Minnesota and Los Angeles shared the floor on April 30, 2025, Game 5 turned into a tug-of-war that finally swung the Wolves’ way. Below is a straightforward walk-through of the key player stats—no fancy terms, just the basics of who scored, who rebounded, and who set the table for teammates.
Minnesota’s Big Performers
Player | Min | Pts | Reb | Ast | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rudy Gobert | 39 | 27 | 24 (9 off) | 0 | Owned the paint on both ends |
Julius Randle | 32 | 23 | 5 | 4 | Hit soft mid-range jumpers all night |
Anthony Edwards | 43 | 15 | 11 | 8 | Cold from deep (0-for-11) but filled the box score |
Mike Conley | 31 | 8 | 4 | 3 | Dagger three with 90 seconds left |
Bench spark: Nickeil Alexander-Walker | 25 | 10 | 1 | 3 | Timely triples in second quarter |
Minnesota’s game plan was plain: feed Gobert inside and crash the boards. His 24 rebounds were more than half of L.A.’s team total, and nine were on the offensive glass, giving the Wolves fresh chances each time a shot clanged off iron. Edwards struggled from long range but kept attacking, piling up free throws and swings to open shooters.
Lakers’ Bright Spots
Player | Min | Pts | Reb | Ast | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Luka Doncic | 40 | 28 | 7 | 9 | Lived at the line (12-for-15) |
Rui Hachimura | 39 | 23 | 4 | 0 | Five threes kept L.A. close |
LeBron James | 40 | 22 | 7 | 6 | Ran the fast break, chased steals |
Austin Reaves | 41 | 12 | 5 | 2 | Hot-and-cold from deep |
Bench help: Jarred Vanderbilt | 19 | 2 | 7 | 3 | Hustle rebounds and extra passes |
Los Angeles leaned on star power. Doncic and James combined for 50 points, but turnovers (15 total) and second-chance points surrendered to Gobert tipped the balance. Hachimura’s corner threes were crucial in a 31-point third-quarter surge, yet the Lakers never solved the glass-cleaning problem.
How the Game Unfolded
First Half (MIN 59-49)
- Gobert started 6-for-6, using size over smaller defenders.
- Minnesota grabbed 13 offensive boards before halftime, already a season-high pace.
- Hachimura buried three quick threes to steady the Lakers, but Conley’s clever pick-and-roll passes rebuilt a ten-point gap by the break.
Third Quarter (LAL 31-22)
- Lakers shifted to zone, forcing seven straight Timberwolves misses from outside.
- Doncic sank back-to-back step-backs, and James added a transition layup that shaved the lead to one.
Final Stretch (MIN 22-16)
- With 1:34 left, Conley drained a deep right-wing three—his second of the night—pushing the Wolves up four.
- Edwards, though ice-cold from beyond the arc, attacked the rim twice to draw fouls and ice it at the stripe.
- Gobert sealed the night with his 24th rebound, tipping a missed free throw to himself and burning precious seconds.
Team Totals at a Glance
Stat | Wolves | Lakers |
---|---|---|
Field Goals | 36-for-89 (40.4 %) | 33-for-78 (42.3 %) |
Three-Pointers | 7-for-47 (14.9 %) | 11-for-37 (29.7 %) |
Free Throws | 24-for-33 (72.7 %) | 19-for-25 (76.0 %) |
Rebounds | 54 (18 off) | 37 (8 off) |
Assists | 25 | 24 |
Turnovers | 11 | 15 |
Blocks | 5 | 1 |
Steals | 8 | 5 |
Final Score | 103 | 96 |
Those raw numbers highlight why rebounding mattered most. Even while shooting a chilly 14.9 % from deep, Minnesota enjoyed 17 extra shots thanks to second-chance work. The Lakers actually shot a touch better overall, but fewer opportunities and a five-turnover gap left them short.
What the Stats Tell Us (Plain English)
- Boards win ballgames: When one player hauls in 24 rebounds, the box score tilts fast. Every extra try means another crack at points—and another time the other club must defend.
- Efficiency beats volume: James and Doncic both scored over twenty, yet they needed 40 combined shots. Gobert and Randle totaled 50 points on just 31 looks, squeezing more juice from each attempt.
- Threes are streaky: The Wolves bricked 40 of 47 triples, but because they owned the paint, those misses did not sink them. L.A. canned a respectable 30 % from outside, still not enough to cancel the rebound gap.
- Turnover timing hurts: The Lakers coughed up the ball three times in the final three minutes; Minnesota turned each slip into points or precious clock burn. Small errors feel bigger when the season is on the line.
Series Impact
This Game 5 victory closed the first-round series 4-1 for Minnesota and punched a ticket to the Western Conference semifinals. For L.A., the loss raises off-season questions—especially about front-court depth after Gobert’s domination. Minnesota, meanwhile, proved that gritty defense and glass-work can carry a cold shooting night straight into the next round.
Final Word
Numbers rarely tell every story, yet in this contest they whisper the same theme over and over: control the boards, and you control the game. The Timberwolves may not have lit up the arc, but by owning the paint and valuing the ball they wrote the ending they wanted—a playoff win and another step forward. The Lakers’ stars shined, just not brightly enough to out-rebound a determined Wolves front line. Simple as that.
Leave a Reply