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LOS ANGELES – Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ humiliating Game 1 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in their opening round series of the NBA Playoffs, they had plenty to think about. At the forefront was the level of physicality and how the Wolves simply out-toughed them. But in the days leading up to Game 2, Austin Reaves saw signs that the Lakers would respond accordingly to the Timberwolves’ physicality.
Following the Lakers, 94-85 win in Game 2, tying the series up at one game apiece, Austin Reaves spoke about how he knew the team would have an answer as early as the aftermath of Game 1.
“I think it just goes back to the other night when we basically got punked. . .they came in here in Game 1 and punked us,” Reaves said. “And you could tell from the energy in the locker room after the game that nobody was worried about what we have.”
The Lakers got off to a strong start in Game 2, similar to Game 1, but the energy was different. The level of physicality was up. Other players aside from just Luka Doncic were hitting shots. Defensively, the Lakers displayed their level of aggressiveness and flying all over the court that had defined them in the regular season.
From Reaves’ point of view, it was all just a matter of responding in kind.
“We just had to go out there and compete every single possession,” Reaves said. “We had a really good practice. . .and that kind of showed where the headspace was and knowing what we were going to have to do to come out here and get a win.”
The Timberwolves did not shoot as well from three point range in Game 2 (20 percent) as they did in Game 1 (50 percent), but the Lakers did not shoot particularly well either (20.7) percent. The game was won on the defensive end with a higher level of physicality.
The physicality manifested itself too in terms of the officials’ whistle. A whopping 46 personal fouls were called throughout the course of the game. And part of the Lakers’ strategy was to use the Timberwolves own physicality against them. The Lakers drew multiple charges during the game, including one huge one by Reaves in the fourth quarter as Minnesota was trying to close the gap.
With the Lakers suddenly going cold offensively in the fourth quarter, Reaves slid in front of Jaden McDaniels and drew an offensive foul that helped seal the win. He knew he had to make a play of some sort considering the Lakers’ offense was in a rut.
“I thought it was huge because our offensive playmaking in the fourth quarter was not what it usually is. . .in those situations you just got to lay it all on the line and do whatever you can to help your team win,” Reaves said. “In the playoffs. . .you win on the smallest margins or lose on the smallest margins. So a play like that, in that situation, everybody on our team is ready to sacrifice their body to get a win.”
