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Lakers–Wolves Game Observations from Iztok Franko

by October 25, 2025 2 Comments

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  1. From above article:

    1-QB Luka’s game management masterclass (🎞️VIDEO)

    Those of us who have watched every Luka game in detail recognize these kinds of dominant Luka Ball nights as they unfold. When things don’t go as well, Luka Ball can sometimes feel forced, the offense too heliocentric, too static. But when everything clicks, when shots are falling early, when Dončić is in full control, quarterbacking every snap from the first possession, dissecting the best NBA defenses ruthlessly and systematically. The complete Luka game is beautiful to watch.

    I sometimes hear Lakers media critique Dončić, saying he should, like Kobe or Magic once did, involve his teammates early instead of dominating from the start. But Dončić’s chess game works the other way around. If the defense is conservative, like it was last night with his favorite target Rudy Gobert playing in drop, he brings the heat early and keeps hammering it until the opponent gives in and changes tactics. Chris Finch did just that in the third quarter, and that’s when Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, and the rest started to feast against a scrambling, demoralized defense.

    When the LeBron injury news hit, I predicted the Lakers would lean more on Luka Ball and that Dončić would need to start the season like he did in 2023–24, when he carried the Mavericks through their first four games to set the tone. So far, he’s answered that call, averaging 46 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 8.5 assists on 62 percent shooting through the first two games.

    2-Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt transforming the team mid-game

    I titled the game preview for this one “If there’s a night to turn up the on-ball pressure…it’s this one.” Before the game, Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura both talked about physicality and being ready for a fight against the bigger Timberwolves. But for the first quarter and a half, the Lakers didn’t back up that talk with action. They got pushed around as Minnesota grabbed every loose ball and rebound, outscoring them 18–0 in second-chance points in the first half.

    In the preview, I hinted at the idea of starting both Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt to hit the Wolves early and apply the on-ball pressure needed to expose their weaknesses in the playmaking department. Redick didn’t go that route — Gabe Vincent started again — but he did unleash an aggressive small-ball lineup featuring Vanderbilt and Smart at the end of the first half. The two ball hawks put together a defensive highlight reel last night. Unfortunately, there are some issues with the video tracking, so you’ll have to take my word for it.

    It’s rare to see a game where two players combine for just four field goal attempts and only one make, yet leave such a massive imprint on the outcome. Smart’s hustle plays and steals, diving on the floor, and Vanderbilt’s long arms creating havoc with deflections and surprise help-side blocks changed the energy completely. Smart finished +24 in 21 minutes, and Vanderbilt was +12 in 20 energy-packed minutes. Most importantly, they flipped the script. The Timberwolves — the bully in the previous matchups — got bullied themselves, to the point where Dončić’s demolition on the other end pushed them into frustration, loss of focus, and a string of undisciplined fouls and shots. There was another positive. Jake LaRavia, the third piece of hope for a more aggressive perimeter defense, showed up as well. Lineups featuring all three offered a glimpse of a switchable perimeter wall.

    3–Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura: stay-ready, wait-your-turn brilliance

    “The beauty of playing with him is he draws so much attention, I get so many easy shots. Of course, you have to be ready to make those shots.” — Rui Hachimura, postgame

    The quote by his Japanese teammate eloquently summed up both the simplicity and the complexity of playing the role of a piece on Dončić’s chessboard.

    Hachimura isn’t the top-level athlete or defender who would be the ideal complement to Dončić, but he has an equally important skill of staying ready and converting the open shots Dončić creates at an elite rate. Last night, Hachimura scored 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting. Reaves’ role requires even more patience and the ability to shapeshift during the game, spotting up as a shooter or punishing advantages when Dončić is in control, then becoming the primary creator when Luka takes a breather and lets Reaves run the show. In the first two games, Reaves has handled both roles admirably, averaging 26 points and 10 assists per game. The critical part last night was cleaning up the sloppy passes from the opener against the Warriors to prevent the more athletic Wolves from getting loose in transition. His 11-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio was a testament to how well he did that.

    4-Deandre Ayton’s 41 screens: little shine for him, lots for Luka

    Ayton is another player who has to stay ready and patient for his chances. The first half was rough for him. Defensively, he didn’t make enough of an impact and was part of the problem as the Wolves dominated the glass. On offense, he kept setting screen after screen for Dončić, but with the way Minnesota defended the pick-and-roll, most of it was simply to give Luka enough room to operate in the gap between his defender and Gobert or whichever big had dropped back. Ayton had only three field goal attempts at halftime.

    But like the others, Ayton waited for the position to develop and for his opening to appear. He finally got his turn in the third quarter, when Finch started sending two defenders and blitzing Dončić. Ayton recently said he can be a confusing pick-and-roll partner because of his versatility — not only rolling to the rim but also finishing at an elite rate on short-roll and pocket-pass jumpers from the free-throw line. He knocked down a couple of those shots in the third quarter and was eventually rewarded with three easy looks at the rim (one of them the highly anticipated lob dunk) off Dončić passes.

    What impressed most about Ayton was his willingness to set countless screens — he’s currently the league leader in total screens set — and how his versatility as a roll big often leads to outcomes other than a lob finish but just as effective. One example was a wide-open corner three for Hachimura, created by Ayton sealing deep in the post and drawing help.

    For anyone who wants to learn more, we dissected Ayton’s pick-and-roll game in detail in a recent podcast with the brilliant guys at the Lakers Film Room Podcast.

    5–JJ Redick making playoff-like adjustments

    Redick and the team faced criticism after the third-quarter collapse against the Warriors, a negative Lakers tradition the coaching staff surely wants to break. Redick even joked postgame that, for the first time in Lakers history, the other team called the first timeout of the third quarter. He downplayed his halftime tweaks as non-basketball, routine adjustments. But Ayton was much more complimentary of Redick’s tweaks, describing the game as almost playoff-like because of how many adjustments his coach made on the fly. After the sluggish start, Redick definitely pushed the right buttons. Whether it was changing the tone with his aggressive small-ball lineup or fine-tuning his shifting scheme, he doubled down on aggressive nail and gap help against Anthony Edwards.

    The next challenge will be fixing the sloppy opening periods with the starting group. The Lakers haven’t started either game with the right intensity and focus, so Redick will need to address that. Most pundits have been calling for one of Smart or Vanderbilt to start, but after last night, you can see the vision of them being the tone changers off the bench. Whatever route Redick chooses, this statement win and the effort the team showed should serve as a reference point moving forward.

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