
Luka Doncic led the Los Angeles Lakers to their first win of the 2025-26 season with a 128-110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Considering the Timberwolves were the team that eliminated the Lakers from the 2025 Playoffs, this was payback.
Despite the success, Doncic acknowledges that the Timberwolves will be back. They are not a team that will back down, thanks to their superstar, Anthony Edwards, who is leading them to adopt a stronger approach to the game.
The Lakers and Timberwolves could develop a strong rivalry moving forward, as they have relatively young superstars leading the way. Minnesota still has the bragging rights from the 2025 postseason, but the Lakers won the latest clash.
Doncic acknowledges this because he knows that the Timberwolves will be back to get their payback. With Chris Finch leading the team as its head coach, that is even more possible due to his tendency to make good adjustments.
As the Timberwolves continue to be a big rival for the Lakers, everyone knows that they will be back. Even Doncic admits that he wants to win with the Lakers when they are playing against this team.
Chris Finch's team has a lot of good characteristics because they have Edwards, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert. This is one of the most well-rounded teams in the league, and the Lakers usually struggle against that kind of team.
Thankfully, the Lakers have a superstar who is prepared to keep going to war when they are playing against the talented Timberwolves team.
"Last year was really tough for me. Just wanted to forget about last season and try to move on. I don't really think about that series. This is the first game," Doncic said about the matchup against the Timberwolves.
"It's gonna be a war every time we play them."
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) October 25, 2025
Luka Doncic (49 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists) speaks with the media following the 128-110 victory over Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/KxLqHQmZq4
"We're still gonna see them three more times this season. It's gonna be a war every time we play them."
With this win, the Lakers could continue to emerge as one of the best teams in the Western Conference. Of course, most people will still take the Denver Nuggets and the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, a Doncic-led Lakers will always be a threat.
By winning against the Timberwolves, a team that was in the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers showed that they can keep up. Considering they did not have LeBron James in this game, Doncic and the Lakers have been an impressive team yet again.
Luka Dončić is the first Laker EVER to start a season with two consecutive 40 point games ⭐️
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 25, 2025
(h/t @mcten) pic.twitter.com/ooWycPbZzh
As the season progresses, the Lakers should look better and better. If they can continue to improve, the 2025-26 season could have Los Angeles as one of the top teams.
Doncic will always be present to lead the charge with his unmatched impact on the offensive side. The rest of the team must step up and support him because they can beat any team if they play well.
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