Data won t lie, the reason for the Lakers defeat was found, the inside was ruled, the Lakers missed the thick eyebrows

The Lakers were at home, but unfortunately lost to the Timberwolves with a score of 96-103, and stopped in the first round and was eliminated 1-4 with a big score. The direction of this game has begun to emerge from the struggles of the Lakers at the beginning. Their inside defense was ineffective and they were at a disadvantage in rebounding competition, and the Timberwolves quickly established a double-digit lead with a series of easy scores. However, at the end of the first quarter, the Lakers set off a 15-5 counterattack climax with the recovery from the offensive end, narrowing the gap to only 2 points left. Unfortunately, entering the second quarter, the Lakers' weak inside line still stood out. At the end of the half, they were once again 10 points behind their opponents. In the second half, the Lakers gradually regained their shooting feel and began to hit the three-pointer. In the third quarter, they once achieved a 30-18 offensive. However, in the decisive fourth quarter, although the Lakers' defensive performance was acceptable, their offensive efficiency dropped sharply due to the decline in physical fitness. At the critical moment, the Lakers were unable to turn the situation around and could only swallow the bitter fruit of failure.

Looking back on the entire game, where did the Lakers lose? Perhaps, we can find some clues from the data. James made 9 of 21 shots in the game, made only 1 of 5 three-pointers, and made 3 of 6 free throws from the free throw line, contributing 22 points, 7 rebounds, 6 and 2 steals, but also made 3 mistakes. In this game, James stood up again, served as the starting center of the Lakers, and fought fiercely with Gobert and the Timberwolves inside group. While consuming a lot of physical strength on the end, James still seized the opportunity on the offensive end and showed his outstanding scoring ability. However, as the game deepened, James' physical fitness gradually overdrawn, and his performance on both offense and defense was also affected.

In addition, Doncic made 7 of 17 shots in the game, 2 of 8 three-pointers, and 12 of 15 free throws from the free throw line, scoring 28 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists, and also had 1 steal and 2 turnovers. Although Doncic's efficiency in today's game was not very high, he also showed tenacious fighting spirit. With a waist injury, Doncic still insisted on playing in the second half and began to hit a three-pointer on the offensive end. In the third quarter, he scored 13 points and sent 3 assists, injecting strong momentum into the Lakers' counterattack momentum. Despite some challenges Doncic faces on the defensive end, it is undeniable that his performance on the offensive end is crucial to the Lakers.

As for Finney Smith, he made 3 of 5 shots in the game, including 1 of 3 three-pointers. Although the data is not eye-catching, his performance on the court is also worthy of recognition. During his limited playing time, he showed a stable shooting feel and defensive enthusiasm. However, facing a strong opponent and a tense game atmosphere, the Lakers finally failed to seize the opportunity and regretfully bid farewell to this season's playoff journey. In today's game, he scored 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal, accompanied by 1 turnover. When it comes to DFS's contribution on the defensive end, it is undoubtedly impeccable. He stood up, guarded the inside, resisted the invasion of the outside, showing extremely high intensity of confrontation and agility. Even though he witnessed his opponents repeatedly getting offensive rebounds, DFS did not show any frustration and always quickly returned to the defensive position. This tenacity is admirable. Unfortunately, he was troubled by fouls and eventually had to leave because of the full amount of crimes. As for the offensive end, DFS also devoted all his strength. Although he devoted most of his energy to defense, resulting in poor shooting efficiency, his performance in this situation is still reasonable.

In contrast, Reeves made only 5 goals in 14 shots in the game, and made 2 of 10 three-pointers, earning 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, but it was accompanied by as many as 6 turnovers. Reeves' performance today was a bit bleak. Not only was the data unsatisfactory, but more importantly, in order to release his offensive firepower, the Lakers specially arranged DFS starts against Edwards, but Reeves failed to seize many high-quality shooting opportunities. Even three-pointers at open positions failed repeatedly, which was not worth it. It is a pity that Reeves failed to properly grasp these opportunities.

Hachimura continued to lead the Lakers forward with excellent performance, making 9 of 16 shots in the game, 5 of 8 three-pointers, scoring 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block, only 1. His performance is still impeccable, becoming the only player among Lakers role players who can hit a steady shot when opportunities appear. What is even more exciting is that he also staged a wonderful moment of dunking Gobert, showing an extremely tough game attitude. It can be said that without Hachimura's outstanding performance, the Lakers may find it difficult to deal with the Timberwolves.

As for the substitute lineup, although Vanderbilt failed to make only one shot in the game, he made all two free throws, contributing 2 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 turnover. He injected vitality into the Lakers on the court, and although his ability to handle balls on the offensive end needs to be improved, his role cannot be ignored. Among other substitutes, Vincent's performance was mediocre, and Kleber was even more proud of Redick's despair. However, he was obviously in poor form and his overall performance was unsatisfactory. The Lakers' substitute lineup's output is still weak and it is difficult to compete with the opponent's substitute.