Lakers beat Timberwolves, even series

The potential future Warriors opponents are locking heads.

The 2025 NBA Playoffs are in full swings. There are eight first-round series currently going on, and a whopping five of them are fully up for grabs. Of course, we’re most focused on what transpires between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets, where the Dubs lead 1-0 after a grind-it-out opening victory on Sunday night. But it’s also worth keeping tabs on other teams.

Namely, it’s worth keeping an eye on the Western Conference matchup between the No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers and the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves. There’s no reseeding in the NBA Playoffs, which means that if the Warriors win their series against the Rockets, they’ll face the winner of the series between the Lakers and Timberwolves.

Which means there’s a lot to watch for, and a lot of investment for all of us.

After getting punched in the mouth in the series opener, the Lakers responded in Tuesday’s Game 2, besting the Wolves 94-85 thanks to a massive first quarter. It was a two-man show for the Lakers, with LeBron James and Luka Dončić combining for 52 of their 94 points, in addition to 23 rebounds and 16 assists. And it tied the series 1-1.

There’s a lot of debate to be had as to whether the Warriors would rather face the Wolves or the Lakers. Golden State played Minnesota better than they played Los Angeles this year, but the Timberwolves are just now catching their stride, while the top-heavy Lakers, led by the oldest player in the league, could definitely start to wear down by the second round of the playoffs.

But whether you want Minnesota or Los Angeles to win, everyone hopes that it’s a long series. Should the Warriors advance to the Western Conference Semifinals, they’d love to face an opponent that’s worn down from a long, tiresome series, and not one that’s well rested.

Game 3 between these teams tips off Friday night at 6:30 p.m. PT on ESPN.

Here’s a full update on the all of the playoff series:

Eastern Conference:

No. 1 Cavaliers lead No. 8 Heat 1-0
No. 2 Celtics lead No. 7 Magic 1-0
No. 3 Knicks and No. 6 Pistons tied 1-1
No. 4 Pacers lead No. 5 Bucks 2-0

Western Conference:

No. 1 Thunder lead No. 8 Grizzlies 2-0
No. 7 Warriors lead No. 2 Rockets 1-0
No. 3 Lakers and No. 6 Timberwolves tied 1-1
No. 4 Nuggets and No. 5 Clippers tied 1-1