The Los Angeles Lakers’ trio of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves shined with a historic night in Thursday’s 111-102 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers improved to 36-21 and won their fourth straight game, while the Timberwolves fell to 32-28 and failed to achieve a two-game winning streak.
The Los Angeles Lakers will host their crosstown rival, the Los Angeles Clippers, at Crypto.com Arena on Friday at 7:00 p.m. Pacific. The Timberwolves will take on the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Mountain. The Clippers have a 32-26 record and look for a two-game winning streak. The Jazz are just 14-44 and looking to snap a two-game losing skid.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Trio Shines
The Los Angeles Lakers’ trio of James, Doncic, and Reaves were great on Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. James led the Lakers’ scoring with 33 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists. Reaves followed up with 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Doncic added 21 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists.
They made history as the first Los Angeles Lakers trio to record a 20/5/5 stat line in a game since 1988. The Lakers set the tone early with a 16-point lead at the end of the first quarter. The Timberwolves fought, reduced the Lakers’ lead to 11 points at halftime, and cut the Los Angeles lead to three points in the fourth quarter. The Lakers prevailed, thanks to Doncic’s clutch three-pointer and James’ late takeover.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Trio Continuation
The trio won’t stop after Thursday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers will look for a five-game winning streak with a win over their crosstown rival, the Los Angeles Clippers, at the same arena on Friday. The Lakers vs. Clippers matchup will be crucial as the Lakers continue their playoff push for home-court advantage in the playoffs.
The Los Angeles Lakers have always been a storied franchise in the NBA, but the Lakers’ trade for then-Dallas Mavericks star Point Guard Luka Doncic thrust them into the spotlight. How did the Lakers pull off such a trade? According to ESPN, Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss knew the importance of keeping trade talks with the Mavericks limited to as tight of a circle as possible.
Before Thursday’s game between the Lakers and Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena, Buss told ESPN, “It was really important to me that we didn’t blow up the team … If it had leaked out and the trade hadn’t happened, that would be really unfair to the progress that the coaching staff had made with the team. Because it’s a huge distraction.”
Buss added, “The trade deadline is part of the business. It increases the level of stress for everybody … And I’m really proud that it didn’t leak out and that we were able to execute the trade in a way that still was surprising to all the parties involved. But that goes with this business.” By the way, Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison first approached Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka with the trade concept on January 7, 2025.
Final Thoughts
The trio has taken the world by storm. ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins ranked the Lakers’ trio as No. 2 — and emphasized Reaves’ offensive breakout — in his top three trios. Perkins named the Denver Nuggets’ trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon as No. 3 — and cited Jokic’s dominance, Murray’s offensive resurgence, and Jokic and Gordon’s two-man game.
Perkins’ list saw his former team, the Boston Celtics, as No. 1. The Celtics’ trio of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis. Perkins highlighted Tatum and Brown’s well-rounded wing production and Porzingis’ versatility as a rim-protecting stretch five. Perkins’ co-hosts seemed to disagree with some of his picks, but Perkins reiterated that it was his list and stood by his opinion.
