By the time Edwards had finished joking, Jake LaRavia had already made sure the Minnesota Timberwolves knew exactly who he was. In a stunning performance on Wednesday night, LaRavia exploded for 27 points and eight rebounds while shooting an absurd 10-for-11 from the field and 5-of-6 from three, helping the Los Angeles Lakers escape with a 116-115 win in Minneapolis.

The unheralded forward, who entered the game averaging single digits, turned in the best night of his NBA career while silencing a Timberwolves crowd that had been roaring after a furious fourth-quarter comeback.

Anthony Edwards, who was mic’d up on the bench and heard laughing with fans about not recognizing LaRavia, couldn’t have picked a worse time to underestimate him. LaRavia went toe-to-toe with Minnesota’s defensive pressure, knocking down clutch corner threes and even engaging in light-hearted trash talk with Edwards after one of his makes.

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LaRavia’s efficient night wasn’t just a fluke. The 23-year-old forward showcased elite confidence and poise, moving seamlessly off the ball and punishing every defensive rotation mistake the Wolves made. His shooting helped the Lakers stretch a 20-point lead late in the third quarter, and even as Minnesota stormed back with a 14-2 run in the closing minutes, it was LaRavia who steadied Los Angeles’ offense.

Austin Reaves capped the game off with a 12-foot buzzer-beating floater, finishing with 28 points and 16 assists, but LaRavia was the unexpected star who kept the Lakers alive throughout the night. Deandre Ayton added 17 points and 10 rebounds as L.A. improved to 3-2 on the season.

For the Timberwolves, Julius Randle led the team with 33 points, but the loss highlighted a major defensive lapse, letting a role player like LaRavia torch them from every area on the court.

By the final buzzer, Minnesota fans and Edwards himself no longer needed to ask: everyone in the Target Center knew exactly who No. 12 was.