Anthony Edwards may be the highlight of the Minnesota Timberwolves game against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.
However, Lakers’ Gardolka Donsic believes Edwards isn’t the only one who needs to be on his team’s radar.
Donsic believes that two key midseason takeovers from Minnesota, Julius Randle and Donte Divinsenzo, present important challenges his team must address to advance past the opening round.
“Obviously they’ve added two guys who can really play and have Ali,” Donsic admitted.
“They have a lot of people they can play with. There are a lot of people they can protect. That’s why they’re very interesting.”
Randle and Divincenzo joined the Timberwolves this season in a huge hit trade that sent the franchise’s cornerstone, Karl Anthony Towns, to the New York Knicks this season.
The move represents a major change in Minnesota’s roster structure, with impressive results.
Both newcomers quickly established themselves as a key element in the Timberwolves rotation.
Randle appeared as Minnesota’s second goal scorer behind Edwards, averaging 18.7 points per game during the regular season.
Divincenzo has developed into a deadly boundary threat for Minnesota despite fighting injuries during parts of the regular season.
It shoots almost 40% beyond the arc, offering important floor spacing and secondary scoring, contributing 11.7 points per game.
Perhaps the most concern for the Lakers is efficiency data surrounding the lineup combination featuring both Minnesota’s Randle and Divincento.
When these two share courtrooms, the Timberwolves boast the NBA’s most efficient offensive rating. This is an ominous indication of Los Angeles’ defensive game plan.
Donsic recognizes formidable challenges going forward, especially given the defensive versatility across multiple positions in Minnesota.
Timberwolves’ various defensive looks and ability to deploy HR groups add another layer of complexity to the series.
Nevertheless, Donsic maintains his team’s collective resolve and confidence in chemistry. “We have people who are willing to go to war. Everyone stays with us. Chemistry is expensive,” he declared.
As the first round of the playoffs approaches, the Lakers’ defensive strategy against various offenses in Minnesota will be important in deciding which teams will advance to the Western Conference semi-finals, along with Edwards, Randle and Divinsenzo.