Camille Naredo

Austin Reaves #15 high fives Dorian Finney-Smith #17 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round 1 Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 22, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. Adam Pantozzi, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 22: Austin Reaves #15 high fives Dorian Finney-Smith #17 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round 1 Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 22, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE   Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Adam Pantozzi / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)

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2025 NBA Playoffs - Minnesota Timberwolves v Los Angeles Lakers - Game Two

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1745395488259AFP__20250423__2210933301__v1__Preview__2025NbaPlayoffsMinnesotaTimberwolvesVLosAnge.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Austin Reaves #15 high fives Dorian Finney-Smith #17 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round 1 Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 22, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. Adam Pantozzi, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Austin Reaves #15 high fives Dorian Finney-Smith #17 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round 1 Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 22, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. <em>Adam Pantozzi, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>LOS ANGELES -- Luka Doncic scored 31 points and LeBron James added 21 as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 94-85 to level their NBA Western Conference playoff series at one game apiece on Tuesday.</p><p>Slovenian star Doncic, acquired in a blockbuster February trade, also had 12 rebounds and nine assists for the Lakers, who led by as many as 22 and held on late in a bruising clash at Crypto.com Arena.</p><p>The Lakers bounced back from a blowout loss on their home floor, while elsewhere the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder seized 2-0 leads in their best-of-seven first-round series.</p><p>The Pacers withstood another big performance from Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo and the return of Damian Lillard, beating the Bucks 123-115 in the East.</p><p>The Thunder followed up their crushing 51-point game-one victory over Memphis with another dominant win, beating the Grizzlies 118-99 in their Western Conference clash.</p><p>After a disjointed effort in their game-one loss, the Lakers rocketed out of the gate, taking a 10-point lead with 5:07 left in the first quarter and maintaining a double-digit advantage until midway through the fourth quarter.</p><p>James, chasing a fifth NBA title in his 22nd season, added 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers, who persevered in a physical game that saw the teams combine for 46 personal fouls.</p><p>Caught out early by the Lakers&#x27; increased defensive intensity, the Timberwolves managed to apply some pressure in the final period, when the Lakers suddenly couldn&#x27;t get a basket to fall.</p><p>The Lakers scored just 13 points in the final period, but Minnesota -- led by 27 points from Julius Randle and 25 from Anthony Edwards -- couldn&#x27;t muster enough offense to capitalize.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UmAMgBIwGtM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>&quot;We played hard for 48 minutes,&quot; Doncic said. &quot;We played physical, that&#x27;s how we&#x27;ve got to play over the whole 48 minutes.&quot;</p><p>In Indianapolis, Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and pulled down 11 rebounds and Tyrese Haliburton added 21 points and 12 assists for the Pacers, who saw a 15-point fourth-quarter lead slashed to two thanks to a 13-0 scoring run from the Bucks.</p><p>Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 34 points, adding 18 rebounds and seven assists.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Lillard returns </strong><strong>-</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nMpGnT0sAYc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>Nine-time All-Star Lillard, playing his first game in five weeks after undergoing treatment for a blood clot in his right calf, scored 14 points and handed out seven assists for Milwaukee.</p><p>Lillard&#x27;s three-pointer with 2:33 to play pulled the Bucks within 115-113. But Siakam responded with a three-pointer.</p><p>Andrew Nembhard drilled another trey and the Pacers held on to win a game that was testy throughout.</p><p>A brief scuffle in the first quarter resulted in  technical fouls for Milwaukee&#x27;s Gary Trent Jr. and Indiana&#x27;s Bennedict Mathurin. Siakam and Milwaukee&#x27;s Bobby Portis received technicals with less than two minutes to play, and there was plenty of jawing in between.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s fun,&quot; Haliburton said. &quot;This is what everybody lives for. We&#x27;re all competitors, so having a lot of fun competing right now.&quot;</p><p>In Oklahoma City, the Thunder showed no sign of a letdown after delivering the most lopsided game-one victory in NBA playoffs history.</p><p>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points, Jalen Williams added 24 and Chet Holmgren delivered 20 points, 11 rebounds  and five blocked shots for the Thunder, who opened the game on a 9-0 run and led by as many as 23.</p><p>Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 26 points and Ja Morant added 23 for the Grizzlies, who showed signs of life in the third quarter only for Oklahoma City to open the fourth on a 9-0 run.</p><p>The Grizzlies wouldn&#x27;t get within 15 points the rest of the way.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>Luka Doncic scored 31 points and LeBron James added 21 as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 94-85 to level their NBA Western Conference playoff series at one game apiece on Tuesday.</p>

Luka Doncic scored 31 points and LeBron James added 21 as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 94-85 to level their NBA Western Conference playoff series at one game apiece on Tuesday.

NBA: Lakers level playoff series, Pacers and Thunder win again

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NBA: Lakers level playoff series, Pacers and Thunder win again

Agence France-Presse

Published April 23, 2025 04:05 PM PHT

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