LOS ANGELES — The words the Lakers used to describe their Game 1 playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves were digestible, easy to take in and uncomplicated.
“Physical,” as in the Timberwolves were the more decisive bunch, unafraid of the playoff setting, caring less that this was Luka Donu010diu0107’s playoff debut as the next Lakers great.
“Bad” ... well, that was Austin Reaves talking about his disastrous first half, although he could’ve been talking about his team’s performance as a whole.
Those things and a lot more were evident as the Minnesota Timberwolves did to the Lakers what they did to Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns last year, and what they did to the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokiu0107 one round later: steal the series opener quite easily, 117-95, at Crypto.