The Lakers were dominated on their floor at home on Saturday evening in match 1 of their NBA eliminatory series in the first round against the Timberwolves, and Magic Johnson is not happy with it.
Johnson went to social networks to tear the Lakers No. 3, the only home team to lose the day of opening the playoffs that presented four games, when they fell 117-95.
“Tonight was one of the worst Lakers performances this season,” the legend of Lakers wrote on X on Saturday evening. “They were flat, had no energy and they played as if it was a regular season match.”
Johnson also targeted the first-year head coach JJ Redick.
“Coach JJ Redick did a great job all season, but he didn’t do a good job for match 1,” wrote Johnson. “The Lakers stood in attack, played too much basketball in-head, and he made no necessary adjustment.”
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards flirted with a triple-double, marking 22 points with nine assists and eight rebounds, while Jaden McDaniels collected 25 points on a shot of 11 for 13 with nine rebounds.
Julius Randle, whom the Knicks exchanged in Minnesota in the cities of Karl-Anthony before the season, added 16 points, five rebounds and five assists while the Timberwolves fired 51.2% (44 for 86) on the field, 50% (21 for 42) of 3 points.
The Lakers, on the other hand, pulled 39.8% (33 for 83) in the field and 36.6% (15 for 41) of Deep.
They led by seven after the first quarter before being upgraded by 18 points in the second, because they were exceeded by the opposition.
“This Minnesota team, she will be physical,” LeBron James, who had 19 points, told journalists. “This is what they bring to the table. We needed a match … (to) understand this. They took the advantage at home tonight, but we have to control the controllables, and if we do it, we will have a much better chance of winning than this evening.”
Luka Doncic scored a 37 -point top with eight rebounds.
Los Angeles will even turn to the home series Tuesday evening in match 2 before the series spent Minneapolis for match 3 Friday.
