Anthony Edwards might be the highlight about the Minnesota Timberwolves’ game against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.
But Lakers guard Luka Doncic thinks it’s not just Edwards who needs to be on his team’s radar.
Doncic believes Minnesota’s two key midseason acquisitions, Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, present significant challenges that his team must address to advance past the opening round.
“Obviously they added two guys that can really play and they have Ant,” Doncic acknowledged.
“They have a lot of guys that can play, a lot of guys that can guard. So they’re very, very interesting.”
Randle and DiVincenzo joined the Timberwolves this season in a blockbuster trade that sent franchise cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks.
The move represented a significant shift in Minnesota’s roster construction and has yielded impressive results.
Both newcomers have quickly established themselves as essential components of the Timberwolves’ rotation.
Randle has emerged as Minnesota’s second-leading scorer behind Edwards, averaging 18.7 points per game during the regular season.
DiVincenzo, despite battling injuries throughout parts of the regular season, has developed into a lethal perimeter threat for Minnesota.
Shooting nearly 40% from beyond the arc while contributing 11.7 points per game, he provides crucial floor spacing and secondary scoring.
Perhaps most concerning for the Lakers is the efficiency data surrounding Minnesota’s lineup combinations featuring both Randle and DiVincenzo.
When these two share the court, the Timberwolves boast the NBA’s most efficient offensive rating, an ominous sign for Los Angeles’ defensive game planning.
Doncic recognizes the formidable challenge ahead, particularly given Minnesota’s defensive versatility across multiple positions.
The Timberwolves’ ability to deploy various defensive looks and personnel groupings adds another layer of complexity to the series.
Nevertheless, Doncic maintains confidence in his team’s collective resolve and chemistry. “We have guys that are willing to go to war. Everybody’s staying together. The chemistry is high,” he declared.
As the first round of the playoffs gets closer, the Lakers’ defensive strategy against Minnesota’s varied offense, with Edwards, Randle, and DiVincenzo, could be key in deciding which team moves on to the Western Conference semifinals.
