Luka Dončić, who led the Dallas Mavericks all the way to the NBA Finals last season, couldn’t help the Lakers get out of the first round in the 2025 NBA Playoffs as the Minnesota Timberwolves dispatched of the Lakers 103-96 in Game 5 at Crypto.com arena to advance to the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
The Los Angeles Lakers so-close-and-yet-so-far first season with Luka Dončić has come to an end.
Dončić, who led the Dallas Mavericks all the way to the NBA Finals last season, couldn’t help the Lakers get out of the first round in the 2025 NBA Playoffs as the Minnesota Timberwolves dispatched of the Lakers 103-96 in Game 5 at Crypto.com arena to advance to the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
Rudy Gobert dominated the Lakers small lineups with a playoff career-high 27 points, an astounding 24 rebounds, including nine on the offensive end, and two blocks in the victory.
Dončić, who injured his back in the second quarter, led the Lakers with 28 points.
The Lakers, who were slight favorites to win the series before it began, stood no chance against the Timberwolves three bigs, and superstar Anthony Edwards. Since acquiring Dončić on February 3, Los Angeles has had to implement small ball lineups against opponents without a true center.
The Lakers thought they had acquired their Anthony Davis replacement when they agreed to a trade with the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Willaims, but the trade was later rescinded after Williams failed a physical. That decision may be the biggest reason the Lakers are heading home early.
Without a true center that could help defend four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award winner in Gobert, the Lakers struggled with the Timberwolves size and rebounding. Minnesota dominated the offensive glass all series, including in Game 5, giving the Timberwolves multiple second-chance opportunities, which they cashed in all night long.
If it wasn’t the trio of Gobert, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid dominating the paint against the Lakers, it was the late-game heroics by superstar and current face of the NBA in Anthony Edwards.
Every time the Timberwolves needed a basket late in games, it was Edwards who delivered.
The Lakers led late in the fourth quarters in both Games 3 and 4 in Minnesota, but it was Edwards whose late-game execution exceeded that of the Lakers duo of Dončić and LeBron James, and is a major reason why the Timberwolves are moving on in the series to face either the Houston Rockets or Golden State Warriors in Round 2.
When the final buzzer sounded, James walked directly off the court, stepping straight into an offseason with an uncertain future.
James finished with 17 points in what could be the final game of his NBA career.
One of James sole motivations for returning this season at the age of 40 was to play with his son Bronny James Jr. Having accomplished that, and with the future of Lakers in the capable hands of Dončić, James could decide to retire after another first round exit.
James is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and leads in almost every major statistical category. He’s often said that when he does decide to retire, he will do it abruptly, and without a farewell tour or fan fare. However, even at age 40 he’s still playing at a high level, averaging 26.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in the playoffs this year.
After James’ looming decision on whether or not he will play for the purple and gold next season, the Lakers next move will be to find a capable big man to play alongside Dončić and the team’s slew of wing defenders.
Lakers’ current center Jaxon Hayes was thrust into a starting role after the Davis-for-Dončić trade, but he was virtually unplayable in the postseason and did not even see the court in Game 5. Max Kleber, appeared for the first time with the Lakers in Game 5 after breaking his right foot earlier this season with the Mavericks, but he showed signs of rust in just two minutes of action.
A dominant big man, plus an entire season and training camp to play with Dončić could entice James to return for a 23rd season, but only time will tell if LeBron wants to continue to go through the grind of an 82-game season, plus playoffs. James has won just two playoff series in his five years since the Lakers won the 2020 championship in the bubble, and is no closer to matching Michael Jordan’s six rings than he was four years ago.
Another positive for the Lakers is first year–and first time–head coach J.J. Redick. Redick seemed to work well with James and Dončić and guided the team to the No. 3 seed in a very difficult Western Conference, and the team’s first 50-win season since the 2019-20 campaign, the first with James and Davis together.