James talks about eliminating the Lakers Timberwolves in the show: Respected opponent, I accept the facts

Lakes superstar LeBron James confessed his opinion on the "Mind the Game" podcast after losing to the Timberwolves in five games.

Thanks to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Lakers' offseason started earlier than expected. Lakers star LeBron James talked about the five-game series defeat in the latest episode of the "Mind the Game" podcast.

The third-seeded Lakers led by James were eliminated by the sixth-seeded Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs. He said that the Minnesota Timberwolves proved that they were a "respected opponent."

"Obviously, now I've slowly accepted this fact, after all, several days have passed, and I've watched a lot of series, to see how it's going," James told Steve Nash.

"But you're right, man. I've experienced all these emotions... We did well at the beginning of the season, but like you said, in the playoffs, man, sometimes against the situation - it doesn't determine your regular season performance. The key is the match itself, and we've had a really good showdown. It's a team that's been through the battlefield, a team full of desire, a team that -- both young players and experienced -- and another team that's working to get to the next level. They're a respectable opponent, that's for sure."

From the beginning, the Lakers' roster was very ideal, which was obvious last season. From the beginning of the season, people were concerned about the depth of the team’s roster, and then Anthony Davis and Max Christie were traded to the Dallas Mavericks in the middle of the season in exchange for Luca Doncic. The deal was well received, but it also created a huge gap in the Lakers' inside rotation.

Due to the lack of Davis or any other available center-the Lakers revoked the deal against Mark Williams before the trade deadline, and JJ Redick ended up putting Jackson Hayes on the bench in a poor playoff performance-the Lakers were completely suppressed by Rudy Gobert in Game 5 of the end of the season and completely suppressed the inside.

Even if Gobert's breakthrough performance aside, the Timberwolves are still a tough battle in all aspects for the Lakers. The relatively young and athletic team took advantage of the sometimes weak defensive advantages of 40-year-old James and Doncic. Doncic's physical condition has always been a hot topic, and he was also suffering from illness and back injuries during the series.

The five-game series victory ensured the Timberwolves advanced to the Western Conference semifinals, and despite Warriors superstar Stephen Curry leaving the field with a hamstring strain, they still lost to the Golden State at home in the second round.

Minnesota will strive to rebound strongly in Game 2 and equalize the score in tonight's series.