The Los Angeles Lakers have plenty of reasons to be positive in their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The biggest reason is the quality of players they have on the roster. Chris Finch’s defense will already have their hands full in trying to contain LeBron James and Luka Doncic, but Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura lead a highly motivated roster that can cause plenty of problems for the Timberwolves.
However, the worst mistake Lakers fans can make is dismissing the sixth-seeded Timberwolves from the conversation. The Wolves have one of the most electric scorers on their roster, and Edwards’ motivation to play well against the Purple and Gold spells trouble for their chances of breaking into the Western Conference semi-finals.
One of the team’s most legendary players also believed that Ant-Man would cause plenty of problems for his team. However, he also revealed that other players can also cause the Lakers grief if JJ Redick isn’t careful with his tactics.
Magic Johnson highlights Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo as dangerous players for the Timberwolves
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Magic Johnson is one of the most visible figures among Lakers fans, and he’s not shy about sharing his opinions whenever the Purple and Gold or his alma mater are involved.
For the Lakers’ upcoming series against the Timberwolves, he emphasized that while Edwards is the biggest threat the Lakers must face, they should also not discount the offensive power the rest of Finch’s roster has.
Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle will command defensive attention, but Magic pointed elsewhere for players who would cause problems for the Lakers.
Per Fadeaway World’s Siddhant Gupta:
“I’m scared for my Lakers because the game’s most exciting player, superstar Anthony Edwards, is a matchup problem.”
“If the Timberwolves beat my Lakers, it’s because Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo both have a big series,” he added.
It makes sense why Magic wants the Lakers to focus on DiVincenzo and Reid. The two have been doing a marvelous job leading the second unit, scoring double digits while being efficient scorers and stellar defensive stalwarts. If the two players manage to play their game, the Lakers could be in for a long series.
Can the Los Angeles Lakers’ bench keep up against the Timberwolves?
Los Angeles may not have the depth to compete against the Timberwolves, but it’s not like JJ Redick doesn’t have a squad to play with.
Dalton Knecht’s momentum may have slowed down since his botched trade to Charlotte, but he’s still an exciting young player. Dorian Finney-Smith, Jaxson Hayes, Gabe Vincent, and Rui Hachimura played well in the Purple and Gold’s rise through the West.
It will be interesting to how the series will play out. While the stars may ultimately decide how the series will go, the rosters will more than make the series interesting.
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