Lakers-Timberwolves score: LeBron James leads L.A. to overtime victory to clinch No. 7 seed in NBA playoffs

Los Angeles will face Memphis in the first round; Minnesota to play for No. 8 Friday

Well, it was one of the stranger games of the 2022-23 NBA season, but after 53 minutes of play-in basketball, the Western Conference has its No. 7 seed. The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs after one of the most impressive comebacks of the season. The shorthanded Timberwolves, missing starters Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels, built leads as big as 15 points in the second half, but with such a thin lineup, they just couldn't hold on in a 108-102 loss.

The Lakers cut the deficit to seven at the end of three quarters, took the lead with 1.4 seconds left in regulation thanks to a Dennis Schroder 3-pointer, and only needed to go to overtime after a terrible foul by Anthony Davis on Mike Conley's game-tying desperation 3-point attempt. The Lakers regained control in overtime, and while the Timberwolves blew a few opportunities to even things up, they just couldn't score enough points to threaten Los Angeles.

Now the Timberwolves will await the winner of Wednesday's Pelicans-Thunder game. The winner of that game will travel to Minnesota on Friday to determine who will earn the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. That team will face the Denver Nuggets in the first round, while the loser will be in the lottery.

Here are the biggest takeaways from Tuesday's Laker victory. 

The best defense in the NBA

The Lakers were inconsistent defensively for most of the season, but once their trade deadline acquisitions arrived, they were practically an immovable object. From Feb. 11 on, the Lakers allowed only 110.8 points per 100 possessions. That ranked second in the NBA for that period, but remember, LeBron James missed a good chunk of that time.

They hardly looked like an elite defense for most of their battle with Minnesota. The Timberwolves scored 60 first-half points and then tacked on 26 more in the third quarter. Things continued in that fashion until the 6:01 mark of the fourth quarter. From that point forward, these are Minnesota's offensive stats:

• Two field goals
• Two shot-clock violations
• Six turnovers
• Seven total points

Were it not for single, stupid foul by Anthony Davis, the Lakers would've shut the Timberwolves out in the second half of the fourth quarter. These were not the typical Timberwolves, either. While they surely would have preferred to have Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels for this game, their offense is better without them. Their absence allowed the Timberwolves to start Taurean Prince, who shot 4 of 7 from 3-point range, and move Karl-Anthony Towns to center, where his shooting maximizes spacing. This was the best possible group of offensive players the Timberwolves could have mustered. And the Lakers locked them up.

If the Lakers are going to seriously compete for a championship this season, this is going to be how they do it. Jarred Vanderbilt is among the NBA's most versatile defenders, capable of guarding both Towns and Anthony Edwards at different points in the game. Schroder tracked Minnesota's guards all over the floor. Davis is perhaps the NBA's best defender, and while James doesn't have it for entire games anymore, he's more than capable of playing elite defense for a single possession when necessary. The Lakers were impregnable down the stretch of this game, and that was the difference.

Good Towns, bad Towns

Both of the following can be true: Karl-Anthony Towns was the only reason Minnesota nearly won this game … and Karl-Anthony Towns was also the biggest reason they lost.

Here's the good: Towns finished the game with 24 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Those numbers don't do justice to his impact. Davis struggled against him one-on-one. The Lakers mixed in different matchups and help, but when they doubled, he made great pass after great pass to set up teammates. Most of Minnesota's layups were a direct result of the space Towns generated. When he was on the floor, he was incredible.

The problem, yet again, was that Towns wasn't on the floor enough. He played only 24 minutes in last year's play-in win over the Clippers because of foul trouble, and in this game, the Timberwolves sat him for roughly 12 of the 53 total minutes played. In those 12 minutes or so, the Timberwolves were outscored by 26 points.

In fairness, Minnesota is desperately thin up front. It's not his fault that Naz Reid is hurt or Rudy Gobert got suspended. But the fouls themselves were simply unacceptable. He got called for his first foul on a charge in the second quarter, and immediately committed a frustration foul on the other end. He re-entered the game with roughly 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. He was pulled out after committing his fifth foul less than one minute later, when he pulled on Davis' arm while fighting for a rebound.

For whatever reason, Towns continues to hurt his team in big games with these inexcusable mistakes. If the Timberwolves were at full strength, they could have compensated. He needed to understand that his team wasn't, and that it couldn't survive without him. If he'd been able to play a few more minutes, Minnesota likely would have won this game.

A tale of two point guards

When the Lakers traded Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz in February, they nabbed two key Jazz role players in Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley. A third Jazz player was also in the deal, but he went to Minnesota. That player was Mike Conley The Timberwolves sent D'Angelo Russell to the Lakers. In essence, this means that the Lakers had the choice between Russell and Conley, and they chose Russell.

That choice looked awful on Tuesday. Russell, with a lengthy history of struggling in big games, shot 1 of 9 from the field in 24 unimpressive minutes. Conley, the veteran with a stellar big-game track record, shot 6 of 8 from 3-point range and played excellent defense to nearly help the Timberwolves steal the victory. Had Minnesota won, the Lakers would be asking themselves if they should have just taken Conley at the deadline.

But the Lakers won, and that means they have a new opponent to prepare for in less than a week. LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined to score half of the Lakers' 108 points tonight. Well, Davis will spend the Memphis series battling with Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Jaren Jackson Jr., and James will be guarded by possible All-Defense selection Dillon Brooks. They aren't going to be able to carry the Lakers to the degree they did against the Timberwolves. Someone else has to step up if the Lakers plan to win that series. 

This was the logic behind Russell over Conley. Russell is younger. He's a more eager scorer. When things are going well, he's a nearly ideal point guard on a James team: comfortable spotting up for 3 when necessary, but an excellent playmaker and pick-and-roll maestro when James needs a breather. Russell struggled against Minnesota. He is going to be the difference between winning or losing against the Grizzlies. The Lakers can't expect 21 points from Schroder every night. They need a reliable second ball-handler, and if it isn't Russell, this win will have been for nothing. 

[Apr 12, 2023 at 1:05 am ET · Sam Quinn]

That'll do it

Well... that was one of the weirder basketball games you'll ever see, but the Lakers ultimately came out on top, 108-102. They will earn the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference and face the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. The Timberwolves will play the winner of tomorrow's Pelicans-Thunder game. The winner of that matchup will earn the No. 8 seed in the West and face the Denver Nuggets.

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:59 am ET · Sam Quinn]

Schroder seals the game

Regulation should've ended with a Dennis Schroder bucket, and now, overtime actually will. He hits his two free throws and the Lakers now lead 107-102 with 8.4 seconds remaining. Never say never considering the way this game has gone, but it certainly looks like the Lakers have earned the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:57 am ET · Sam Quinn]

Minnesota botches a golden opportunity

The Timberwolves pick up ANOTHER huge deflection on a Lakers inbound pass. With the steal they could have tied the game at 105 apiece, but Taurean Prince missed the 3-point shot. Austin Reaves rebounded, and we're right back where we started. 

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:54 am ET · Sam Quinn]

Not over yet?

Huge layup by Anthony Edwards to cut the deficit from five to three. Now the Lakers call timeout with a 105-102 lead. If they can make their free throws they'll win this game, but if they leave the door open, Minnesota will do everything in its power to push its way through.

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:52 am ET · Sam Quinn]

That one was late

Anthony Edwards missed the rim on that layup attempt, and the shot clock had already expired after Karl-Anthony Towns put it back in. That's yet another turnover for Minnesota down the stretch.

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:50 am ET · Sam Quinn]

Lakers in control

After 200 exhausting seconds, the Lakers hold a 105-100 lead with 1:40 remaining in overtime. Anthony Davis' insane catch radius came into play there as LeBron James essentially threw that pass into the sky. The biggest player on the floor caught it, put it in, and gave the Lakers some sorely needed breathing room. If they can hold out for 100 more seconds, they'll advance to the playoffs.

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:43 am ET · Sam Quinn]

Overtime

The Timberwolves scored three points in the last six minutes of regulation. All three of them came at the line courtesy of Mike Conley with 0.1 seconds left. We're headed for overtime. What a bizarre game this has been. Both LeBron James and Karl-Anthony Towns have five fouls.

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:41 am ET · Sam Quinn]

The worst foul of the season

Anthony Davis fouls Mike Conley on the game-tying 3-pointer. The Timberwolves can send this game to overtime if Conley makes all three.

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:40 am ET · Sam Quinn]

Schroder gives the Lakers the lead!

With 1.4 seconds remaining, Dennis Schroder hits a corner 3-pointer to give the Lakers a 98-95 lead. The Timberwolves call timeout to try to draw up their own 3-point play.

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:36 am ET · Sam Quinn]

Over-and-back

The Lakers retake possession and can run out the shot-clock and win the game on this overtime. Their worst case scenario right now is overtime.

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:35 am ET · Sam Quinn]

The biggest call of the night

So here's what we're dealing with: Taurean Prince knocks away the inbound pass to LeBron James, but James dives to protect the ball. He is called for a foul, and it's a side out for Minnesota. Both teams are now going to have one possession with a timeout to try to win the game.

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:33 am ET · Sam Quinn]

Two-for-one or best shot?

Now we're getting into the real nitty-gritty of late-game strategy. The Lakers rebound the missed 3 by Anthony Edwards and call time with 32.4 seconds remaining and a tied score of 95 apiece. If they get a shot off quickly, they can ensure that they will have at least one more possession to tie or win the game if necessary. However, doing so might hurt their shot quality on this possession. So what's the move for the Lakers: two-for-one or best possible shot?

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:30 am ET · Sam Quinn]

LeBron for the tie!

The Lakers have tied the game at 95 apiece after LeBron James drills a contested triple! It brings back memories of the huge 3-pointer he made in the play-in game two years ago against the Warriors.

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:26 am ET · Sam Quinn]

Will any other Laker stand up?

LeBron James and Anthony Davis are holding up their end of the bargain. Their teammates? Not so much. Lakers not named James or Davis are now shooting 13-of-46 from the field. The two best players on the team are doing everything in their power to make this a game but their teammates just can't carry them over the finish line.

[Apr 12, 2023 at 12:22 am ET · Sam Quinn]

Anthony Davis in some pain

Anthony Davis is holding his side after going for that blocked shot. He's staying in the floor, and Davis plays through pain pretty frequently. But that's something to keep an eye on in these last five minutes.