After locking down the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, it didn’t take long for the Los Angeles Lakers to find out who their first opponent will be in the playoffs. The Minnesota Timberwolves got to the No. 6 seed thanks to a three-game winning streak to end the season.
Last year, the Timberwolves made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals but decided to trade Karl-Anthony Towns in the offseason. That move backfired and they haven’t had as much success this season.
That said, they are a tough opponent for Los Angeles. Head coach JJ Redick offered his thoughts on the Timberwolves ahead of the playoffs.
“Very difficult opponent,” Redick told reporters on Sunday. “They’ve played as well as anyone lately. I believe they’re one of four teams in the top 10 in offense and defense, so they present a lot of problems.”
Minnesota will have a bit of a coaching experience advantage as Chris Finch coached in the playoffs for three straight years while Redick is still in his first season. That said, the Lakers have players who are heavily experienced in the playoffs like LeBron James and Luka Doncic so it could even out.
Redick Looking to the Playoffs
There were questions about how quickly Redick would find success as a head coach. He had never coached at the college or NBA level prior to taking the Lakers job.
His first regular season was very successful. The Lakers had either missed the playoffs or were the No. 7 seed in four-straight seasons but Redick helped coach them to the No. 3 three seed this year.
However, that’s not enough for the coach to be satisfied. He can’t properly evaluate himself until after the playoffs.
“Uh, it’s not done,” Redick said. “And I spent all of three and a half minutes on the flight back from Dallas just thinking about making the playoffs and thinking about the coaching profession. And I think as a coach, you’re obviously judged on regular season wins and losses and your ability to get to the playoffs. But I think the other two things that you’re really judged on are the way you’re able to handle the pressure of the playoffs, the adjustments, the in-game stuff.
“There’s still so much work that we have to do, myself, our staff. And then I think you’re also judged on the culture you create and whether or not your players and everybody in the building like coming to work.”
Are Lakers Going on a Deep Run?
The Lakers were likely looking at another early playoff exit before they traded for Doncic. Ever since that deal, the team has looked like one of the favorites to win a championship.
For the first time since he joined the team, James won’t have to be the No. 1 option in the playoffs for most games. The Lakers have played incredibly well against the Western Conference this season and there’s no reason to believe that won’t continue.
Los Angeles should be ready for a deep playoff run as they might be the most dangerous team left.
