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The Los Angeles Lakers will be taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the postseason this year, offering some real challenges. The Lakers do own home-court advantage in this series, potentially giving them an edge entering this matchup.
After learning who the Lakers would be facing in the first round, forward Jarred Vanderbilt had a message to the rest of the team. The veteran forward was excited in his reaction for the series.
"We're going to Minnesota, boys!"
Jared Vanderbilt in the Lakers’ postgame locker room after the Clippers win it: “We’re going to Minnesota, boys!”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 13, 2025
The two sides split the season series this year, with each taking both games in their home arenas. This series should be fairly even, especially due to the size advantage that the Timberwolves will have over the Lakers.
The biggest weakness for the Lakers is in the frontcourt, and the Timberwolves may be able to expose them a little bit. But Los Angeles is confident that they have enough firepower to overcome Minnesota in the series.
More Lakers news: Bill Plaschke says Luka Doncic Deal Wasn't Biggest Lakers Trade This Season
With Luka Doncic and LeBron James leading the way, Los Angeles is confident in their chances. But it will be up to the rest of the role players, like Vanderbilt, to make sure they step up if the team wants to win this series.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick weighed in on the upcoming playoff matchup, praising the Timberwolves along the way.
“It’s a very difficult opponent,” Redick said. “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.”
“We have a general idea of what their rules are, just like they have a general idea of what our rules are,” Redick said. “It doesn’t necessarily matter that we don’t have anything on tape with both teams at full strength.”
If the Lakers are focused and play their game, many believe they can advance. It won't be easy, but this team has a ton of firepower to throw against anyone.
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JJ Redick Silences Critics After Leading Lakers to Third Seed
For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
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Youth movement: Five new players who should be part of Team USA basketball's future
A veteran-heavy USA Basketball squad took home a gold medal last summer in Paris. But their two biggest stars won't be returning. LeBron James and Steph Curry made it clear on the newest episode of "Mind The Game," James' podcast, that they wouldn't be part of Team USA in 2028. That leaves two big pairs of shoes to fill. In addition, the oft-injured Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis are unlikely to be back, Kevin Durant will be 39 in the summer of 2028, Jrue Holiday will be 38 and the national team will get younger. Here are five new players who should be part of Team USA going forward. 1. Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets There's always a spot on Team USA for a hard-nosed perimeter defender, and Amen Thompson is one of the toughest defenders in the NBA. He finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season and has upped his assists to 5.2 per game, making him the ideal player to slide into Holiday's stopper/ball handler role. Plus, Thompson is still only 22, which means he has plenty of international basketball ahead of him. And if Team USA needs another elite defender, he's got a connection with one on the Detroit Pistons — his brother Ausar Thompson. The only danger is if the Thompson twins decide to play for Jamaica instead. 2. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons Cade Cunningham, 24, has experience with USA Basketball, winning a gold medal in 2019 at the FIBA U19 championships and leading the USA Select team to scrimmage upsets against the 2023 FIBA Cup team. He only turned down joining the main team because he was recovering from shin surgery. Now he's firmly established as an NBA star, averaging 27.5 points and 9.9 assists for the first-place Detroit Pistons. Not only is he scoring an distributing the ball at an elite level, Cunningham has excellent size at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds for the more physical international game. 3. Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder Team USA needs a rim protector, and they'd love to have one who can stretch the floor like Chet Holmgren. The 23-year-old is shooting 40.4 percent from three-point range this season and 59.1 percent overall while anchoring the NBA's No. 1 defense. Holmgren may not be best suited to banging with some of the huge big men he'd face in the Olympics, like Nikola Jokic and Alperen Sengun, but the threat of his shooting can draw these big men out of the paint and create driving lanes. Plus, he has three years to bulk up before the Los Angeles Olympics. 4. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has turned into a legitimate three-point threat this season, sinking 1.7 threes per game, while remaining one of the NBA's best defenders. While Holmgren is more of a shot-blocker and rim protector, Evan Mobley, 24, has the speed and mobility to guard smaller players out on the perimeter, and the height and wingspan to bother big men. In addition, Mobley attended college at USC and high school in famed fight capital Temecula, so he'll be an excellent local choice. 5. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder Jalen Williams, 24, is a bulldog defender who showed he can also be an elite big-game scorer during the Thunder's run to the title. Team USA plays best when they can pressure opposing teams defensively, and Williams has been great with that approach for OKC. Honorable mentions Cooper Flagg (18), Dallas Mavericks Stephon Castle (21) and Dylan Harper (19), San Antonio Spurs Kon Knueppel (20), Charlotte Hornets Darryn Peterson (18), Kansas Jayhawks
Islanders-Stars game ends with ejection, review and Patrick Roy screaming
The New York Islanders' 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night ended with complete mayhem that included an ejection, Islanders coach Patrick Roy screaming and a replay review on what could have been a potential buzzer-beating game-tying goal. It is probably the most chaotic ending of the 2025-26 NHL season to date. Here's what happened. Mikko Rantanen ejected for hit that enraged Patrick Roy Things really started to pop off when Stars forward Mikko Rantanen was ejected for boarding Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov with just 27 seconds remaining. Rantanen was assessed a match penalty for the hit, resulting in Roy screaming at him between the benches. Roy is no stranger to these sorts of altercations in his head-coaching career, and he has repeatedly gotten himself into verbal — and nearly physical — altercations with opponents. His first game as an NHL head coach with the Colorado Avalanche nearly resulted in him climbing over the glass to fight then-Anaheim Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau. He has passion. But that was only the start of the crazy ending. Potential buzzer-beating game-tying goal overturned on replay review As the Islanders were attempting to cling to a one-goal lead, the Stars appeared to tie the game with a buzzer-beating goal that would have sent the game to overtime, completing a wild comeback that started with a goal just one minute earlier. The only problem: The goal was taken away when it was determined that Stars forward Jason Robertson interfered with goalie David Rittich. Robertson definitely makes contact with Rittich in the crease, and he is responsible for making every possible effort to avoid that. But it is also true that Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock gives him a pretty good hit that sends him into the crease and into Rittich. The officials and NHL clearly did not think that was the cause of the interference and overturned the goal, securing the Islanders win. Goaltending interference can be a pretty subjective call. In this case, it did not favor the Stars.
Steelers work out two QBs amid Aaron Rodgers injury
With Aaron Rodgers dealing with a left wrist injury, the Pittsburgh Steelers worked out veteran quarterbacks Jason Bean and Tanner Mordecai on Tuesday, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. The Steelers currently have three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster and zero on their practice squad. Backup Mason Rudolph, and third-stringer Will Howard will both move up a spot on the depth chart for at least a week, leaving the Steelers without a third option should either of them get injured. Bean, 26, signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Kansas in 2024. He did not make the 53-man roster, but stuck around on the practice squad for the entire season. He was waived during final roster cuts this year and did not draw practice squad interest from the Colts or any other team. Mordecai is also a 26-year-old who entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie in 2024. Mordecai finished his college career at Wisconsin and signed with the 49ers last spring. He spent the season on San Francisco’s practice squad and was repeatedly cut and re-signed during training camp as the team balanced their other roster needs. He was waived due to injury a final time during roster cuts. The Steelers did not sign Bean or Mordecai, though that could be coming in the next few days as they continue to assess Rodgers’ wrist. They could also work out other available quarterbacks later this week.
Patriots QB Drake Maye fires subtle shot after Cam Newton blasts New England
The New England Patriots are 9-2 and sitting atop the AFC East through Week 11 of the NFL season, but their resurgence hasn’t come without critics. Former Carolina Panthers and Patriots quarterback Cam Newton sparked headlines after delivering sharp criticism on ESPN’s First Take, questioning whether New England’s success is as real as it appears. Newton labeled the team’s run “fool’s gold” and argued their schedule was padded with “sorry scrubs,” predicting a one-and-done playoff exit. In an article by Sports Illustrated’s Mike Kadlick, he noted that Newton told Stephen A. Smith the Patriots’ success was more a product of their weak schedule than the play of Drake Maye or the Patriots’ offense, suggesting their strong record was inflated by wins over lesser opponents. “The thing that I have a problem with,” Newton said. “Is if you keep playing sorry scrubs, then you’re going to have this falsetto of a mentality going into the playoffs, and it has one-and-done written all over it.” Maye was asked about the remarks Monday during his weekly WEEI appearance in Boston. The second-year quarterback gave a calm, measured response, deflecting the criticism and subtly dismissing the noise — while also taking a quiet shot at Newton. “Oh no, I don’t even know what show he’s on,” Maye said. “I think they get paid to make remarks and make certain comments. So, I just worry about what people in our organization think, and worry about what my teammates think. People are going to have different opinions. I’m just going out there on Sunday and worrying about ourselves.” First-year head coach Mike Vrabel also addressed the former Auburn standout’s remarks about the team’s 2025 run, telling WEEI the Patriots wouldn’t be leaning on “Cam Newton clips” for motivation. That exchange — along with Maye’s earlier answer — underscored New England’s steady, team-first tone under Vrabel as they get ready for their Week 12 matchup vs. the Cincinnati Bengals.
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