NBA Playoffs 2025: Lakers coach JJ Redick accuses organizational problems with the defeat of Timberwolves in the blowout -1

The Los Angeles Lakers did not look good in their first off season game last weekend. At all.

The Minnesota Timberwolves drove to a 117-95 route in Crypto.com Arena on Saturday evening in game 1 of their opening playoff series and did so without any problems. The problem, said head coach JJ Redick on Monday, was relatively easy.

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But it wasn’t just that they didn’t call the right games or didn’t know what came from the Timberwolves, he said. They had organizational problems across the board, which sounds as if it were appealing to mental mistakes.

“Our early offense, like every team, it is the same,” said Redick. “It is noteworthy how many owners we had four boys, three or four boys at Half Court at 15 at the (shot) clock. How literally only packed up at half a dish. So that means being organized.”

A few days from this loss, Redick’s comments are a little different from the one he made immediately after the game on Saturday.

“Communication was great,” he said. “I am not sure whether we were physically ready when that makes sense. And when they started with a lot of thrust and physicality, we just didn’t answer to meet it.”

Regardless of whether it was mental, organizational mistakes, physical problems or a combination, the Timberwolves absolutely dominated the Lakers. As a team, they shot 50% from the 3-point line and set up a franchise ate season record with 21 make-bucket behind the bow. Jaden McDaniels had 25 points in 11-of-13 shooting, and Anthony Edwards was only in front of a triple double double with 22 points, nine templates and eight rebounds.

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Luka Dončić was in game 1 for the lonely bright spot for the Lakers. He had 37 points, 16 of which came in the opening district, and eight rebounds when he shot 5 out of 10 from the 3-point line. But the Lakers had only 15 templates as a team, only one of which came from Dončić, and LeBron James was held goalless until the second quarter. Austin Reaves also shot 5 out of 13 out of the field.

Game 2 of the series is located in Los Angeles for Tuesday evening, where the Timberwolves will try to climb 2-0 before the series shifted to Minneapolis. Redick said on Monday that he had the feeling that the Lakers had made their best practice and “good foam in months”.

It remains to be seen whether this leads to a better organization at the Court. Regardless of this, if the Lakers do not react immediately, you may see another playoff exit in the first round for a second year in a row.