The Timberwolves were the better team in Game 1 and earned their victory in Los Angeles, but LeBron James and JJ Redick are confident the Lakers will bounce back.
LeBron tried to explain what happened following his team’s 117-95 loss on the first day of round one of the playoffs.
“Maybe it took us one playoff game to now get a feel for it,” James said. “We know the type of intensity, the type of physicality that’s gonna be brought to the game, but that’s the way they play. So we should be more than prepared for that on Tuesday night.”
Luka Doncic also mentioned that the Lakers need to step up physically if they want to compete.
“I think in the first quarter we played the way we played,” Doncic said. “We were playing physical, and then we just kind of let go of the rope. So we have to play more physical. It’s 48 minutes and every possession matters.”
As did head coach Redick.
“I’m not sure physically we were ready,” Redick said. “And really when [the Timberwolves] started playing with a lot of thrust and physicality, we just didn’t respond to meet that.”
Lakers guard Austin Reaves is keen to make up for his quiet night.
“Hopefully we can just right our wrongs,” Reaves said Monday. “We played bad; they shot the ball really well. They’re obviously a really good team that’s physical. We got to match that. Tomorrow it’ll be different story.”
Reaves was limited to just 16 points on 5-for-13 shooting due to the Timberwolves defense, with a plus-minus of minus-25 in 37 minutes.
“S—ty,” Reaves said of his performance after reviewing film. “I wasn’t myself. To what the reason was, don’t know. But just got to go out there and be myself, play my game and have fun doing it.”
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