LOS ANGELES -- After pushing themselves in the play-in tournament the past two years just to qualify for the postseason, the Los Angeles Lakers relished the chance to earn a week off leading into Game 1 to prepare for their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The break might have allowed players to heal minor injuries and the coaching staff to dive into strategy, but what was clear after L.A.'s 117-95 loss to the Wolves on Saturday was that the Lakers were wholly unready for the raw, bruising physicality that Minnesota planned to play with.