The Los Angeles Lakers secured their first victory of the 2025-26 campaign on Friday night, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 128-110 at Crypto.com Arena.
Coming off a season-opening loss to the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles erased an early deficit with a dominant offensive display led by Luka Doncic. The All-Star guard finished with 49 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, shooting 14-for-23 from the field and 16-for-19 at the free-throw line. Head coach JJ Redick briefly kept him on the floor in the fourth quarter in an attempt to reach 50 points before ultimately pulling him just shy of the milestone.
Through two games, Doncic has racked up 92 points, surpassing Michael Jordan’s 91 for the fourth-highest total in NBA history over the first two contests of a season.
Austin Reaves provided ample support, posting 25 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Reaves carried the offense while Doncic dealt with foul trouble, frequently attacking mismatches on the perimeter.
Marcus Smart added only three points but sparked Los Angeles with energetic defense during a pivotal second-quarter stretch. The Lakers played without center Jaxson Hayes, leaving Minnesota with a size advantage that failed to slow the Lakers’ perimeter attack.
The Timberwolves, who eliminated the Lakers in five games during last spring’s first-round playoff series, brought back most of their roster but struggled to contain Los Angeles after a high-scoring opening period.
Up next
The Lakers begin a two-game road swing Sunday against the Sacramento Kings before returning home Monday to face the Portland Trail Blazers.
Source: LakersNation.com
