The Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of the Western Conference’s first round following LA’s dismantling of the Wolves on the road in Game 2. Kevin Garnett took time to highlight the individual matchups in the series after claiming he never believed the Lakers would head home down 0-2.
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An admittedly wonky matchup on paper, KG explained how Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle are responsible for countering Luka Doncic and LeBron James, respectively. However, unlike Minnesota, the Lakers have a bona fide third option in Austin Reaves, who could cause problems for the Wolves if their other role players fail to step up.
Outside of Edwards and Randle, Minnesota is a bit lacking in offensive weapons. Garnett expressed the importance of either Naz Reid or Jaden McDaniels producing on the offensive end, especially if Reaves begins to fill it up after two average performances. Those two will be responsible for countering the fourth-year guard’s production, according to KG.
“Cause I’m looking at it like this. Randle and Edwards got to counterbalance Luka and Bron, right?” The Wolves legend said on KG Certified. “Austin Reaves is the third solidifier, right? So, Minnesota, to me, that’s Naz Reid or McDaniels. They were collectively going to have to meet up where Austin Reaves is.”
“If Minnesota shoots the ball a little better, we talking about something totally different,” Garnett continued. After scorching-hot showings in Game 1 from McDaniels, who scored 25 points with only two missed shots, and Reid, who notched 23 while only missing four shots, both failed to reach double-digits in the next contest.
While neither player is likely to have a repeat performance from the first game of the series, Reid and McDaniels are imperative to the Wolves’ success in this series. Garnett and Paul Pierce know Minnesota will have to win this series with defense, the team’s calling card all season.
“The good thing about Minnesota, I think they playing Bron well,” Pierce said.
“I think so too, and they’re keeping him under control considering which levels I think he can go to,” Garnett responded. “Cause, you know, we not seen him go to [those levels yet].”
Only time will tell if returning to Los Angeles for Game 3 will reignite LeBron’s production. At 40 years old, he’s defying the odds by continuing to play this high of a level, but it’s clear his age is finally starting to catch up to him. For that reason, both Garnett and Pierce believe it could be Austin Reaves who makes the difference for the Lakers.
