The Los Angeles Lakers` opening playoff game against the Minnesota Timberwolves resulted in a decisive 117-95 loss, highlighting multiple areas of concern. The Timberwolves` effective perimeter shooting, setting a franchise playoff record with 21 three-pointers, was problematic. Minnesota also dominated transition scoring 25-6. The Lakers` offense, which was 11th in the regular season, struggled late, scoring only 17 points in the fourth quarter. Luka Doncic managed just one assist, significantly below his average, and LeBron James scored 19 points, also below his usual output.
However, just minutes into Game 2 on Tuesday, the Lakers began to correct course, demonstrating a key play between their two star players.
The sequence unfolded after Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels missed a corner three, contested by Austin Reaves` quick defense. Lakers forward Rui Hachimura secured the rebound and advanced the ball to Doncic on the right wing. By the time Doncic received the pass in the backcourt, James had already sprinted into the frontcourt, with only Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley positioned to defend his drive to the basket.
Doncic took one dribble, turned, and spotted James. Seizing the opportunity, he unleashed a swift 50-foot outlet pass that perfectly arced over Conley`s head, landing softly in James` hands for an easy point-blank finish at the rim.
“It`s easy,” Doncic commented to ESPN after the game. “I know what he`s going to do. He`s going to beat his defender, and I just throw it up there. It`s not hard.”
This play put L.A. ahead 7-4 early in the first quarter and signaled the Lakers` adjustments. Doncic finished the game with nine assists, the Lakers won the fast-break battle 13-6, and ultimately secured a 94-85 victory to tie the series at 1-1.
As the series moves to Minneapolis for Game 3, where the Wolves` sixth-ranked defense is expected to be even tougher, the connection between Luka and LeBron emerges not just as an advantageous offensive tactic, but an example of the potent partnership they have quickly formed, which they hope will contribute to a deep playoff run.
“One thing about Luka,” James told ESPN, “you got to be at the right spot at the right time or you got to make the connection, or he won`t pass you the ball like that. So, I think he trusts me.”
Doncic and James first showcased this fast-break telepathy in their debut game together for the Lakers, a 132-113 win against the Utah Jazz on February 10.
With the Lakers holding a comfortable lead in the second quarter, James contested a Lauri Markkanen three-pointer and then immediately sprinted downcourt. After the miss, Doncic grabbed the rebound in the paint, took a single dribble upcourt, and delivered a precise 65-foot pass to find James in stride for a layup.
Following the score, James acknowledged the impressive play by pointing to his new teammate as they transitioned back to defense.
Lakers coach JJ Redick noted the immediate chemistry: “I think instantly you saw just the ability to feed off each other in transition, particularly with Luka as an outlet passer, LeBron running or getting down the court and creating an early cross match and getting that early seal. We saw that sort of right away.”
Such plays and this kind of chemistry are familiar territory for the 22-year veteran, James.
“If you watch Bron`s career, whenever he had great passers who can make that pass — Kevin Love, Dwyane Wade — it was always effective,” Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith observed. “Bron does a good job of reading those [passes]. … I think that`s definitely an advantage and gives us easy points. It`s hard to get easy points in the league.”
Lakers guard Gabe Vincent agreed: “Great players got to get easy buckets too. Sometimes, that`s the easiest shot that he`s going to get [all game].”
In their 21 games together before the playoffs, Doncic connected with James for five assists originating from passes traveling 60 feet or more, according to GeniusIQ tracking. This was the highest number of such long-distance assists between any two players in the league during the final two months of the regular season.
LeBron James continues to defy the usual decline associated with aging players in the NBA, but his approach in 2025 differs from his younger years. His initial burst off the dribble might not be as explosive, and he doesn`t simply leap over defenders for finishes as before. In the first two games against Minnesota, players like Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert have contained him reasonably well in the half-court.
However, James` understanding of the game remains elite. In 2018, he spoke about conserving “pockets of energy” during a game by allowing teammates to orchestrate the offense on certain possessions, enabling him to exert more effort defensively. Playing the role of a `wide receiver` to Doncic`s `quarterback` is simply the latest evolution of his game.
When asked about the key to his chemistry with Doncic before the playoffs, James deferred to his 26-year-old teammate: “Offensively? Give Luka the ball. If we stay ready,” James said, echoing a common sports adage, “we never got to get ready.”
When the Timberwolves prepared to face the Lakers on February 27 for the first time after Doncic joined, Minnesota coach Chris Finch considered the challenge James would still pose even when playing off the ball.
“If you`re overhelping in the gaps, you`re going to open massive runways for him to get downhill. That`s not going to end well for a defense, generally,” Finch commented before that game. “We spent a lot of our coaches` meeting talking about LeBron [playing] off ball and what that does to a defense. … It`s a whole `nother threat level.”
The Lakers won that game, with James scoring 33 points on 11-for-21 shooting and adding six assists. Doncic contributed 21 points (6-for-20) and five assists, while Reaves had 23 points and five assists.
When Minnesota secured the sixth seed and the first-round matchup with L.A., a specific goal of the Wolves` game plan, according to sources, was to limit James` effectiveness in transition. The belief was that forcing him into half-court situations would tire him out over a long series.
So far, their strategy has seen some success. That long outlet feed from Doncic represents James` only two transition points in the series thus far. He averaged 6.0 transition points per game in the regular season, ranking sixth in the NBA.
The Wolves` strategy reportedly involves a mix of man and zone coverage. After a Minnesota miss, two players are tasked with getting back quickly, with one defender specifically covering James man-to-man. Meanwhile, players who crash the offensive glass are instructed to pressure Doncic if he gets the rebound, denying him a clear opportunity to launch a long pass for an easy score.
Despite their efforts, Finch can`t afford to relax. The potential for James to play quarterback and Doncic the receiver on a long pass remains a significant threat that hasn`t been fully utilized in the series yet.
“Passing to each other, them two motherf—ers? It sounds crazy to even be saying that,” Finney-Smith remarked, highlighting the unexpected pairing. “Two years ago, that s— would have sounded fake. What am I saying — two years ago? Two months ago it would have sounded fake.”
