LeBron James, Lakers Bounced By Wolves In First Round

The final blow came Wednesday night, at home, when they dropped a 103-96 decision to the Timberwolves in Game 5. So Minnesota wins the series, 4-1, and now awaits the winner of the Warriors-Rockets series in the West semifinals.

The Timberwolves couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn from three. Didn’t matter. Rudy Gobert made sure of it.

The veteran big man turned in a towering performance — 27 points, 24 rebounds, and a whole lot of rim protection — as Minnesota simply outwilled LA.

It marks the second straight year the Lakers have bowed out in Round 1, and this one will sting a little more. They were the No. 3 seed. They won 50 games. Internal expectations? Significantly higher.

Instead, they’re headed into another long summer of questions.

Minnesota, meanwhile, advances despite one of the ugliest shooting performances in playoff history. The Wolves finished just 5-of-39 from beyond the arc (12.8%), the worst percentage ever in a postseason win — and no team has ever missed more threes (34) and still come out on top.

They did it anyway, thanks largely to Gobert, who controlled the paint on both ends and anchored a defense that didn’t budge.

Anthony Edwards added 19 points and 8 assists, though he shot just 6-of-21. Jaden McDaniels chipped in 14 and a flurry of key stops.

For the Lakers, the season ends earlier than expected for the high-wattage pairing of LeBron James and Luka Doncic, acquired just ahead of the February trade deadline. Both had their moments in the series, but neither could overcome the Wolves’ relentless defense or the team’s own unraveling offense when it mattered most.

Now, the Lakers face another pivotal offseason, with roster decisions, and the clock ticking on contention with a pair of superstar alphas. The Wolves? They move on — bruised offensively, but breathing — thanks to the best game of Gobert’s postseason career.

Hoops Wire will have more on what’s next for both teams in the days ahead.