Luka Doncic brushes aside joining Shaquille O’Neal in elite Laker podium: “Doesn’t matter”
Luka Doncic came up big once again for the LA Lakers in Game 2 of their first-round matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night. He finished just shy of a triple-double, posting 31 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists to help the Lakers even the series at 1-1.
The performance made Doncic just the third player in Lakers history to score at least 30 points in each of his first two playoff games with the team, joining George Mikan (1949) and Shaquille O’Neal (1997).
Asked by Taylor Rooks on TNT about joining that exclusive group, Doncic brushed it off.
“That's fine, but it don't matter,” he said. “We got to win no matter what, if I have 30 if I have 10. We just got to win. This isn’t about a player, this is about the team.”
Doncic scored 37 points in Game 1, but Minnesota caught fire from deep, hitting 21 of 42 from 3-point range to set a new franchise playoff record in a 117-95 upset win over the No. 3 seed Lakers.
In Game 2, however, the Timberwolves’ offense stalled, going just 5-for-25 from beyond the arc. Julius Randle (27 points) and Anthony Edwards (25 points) were the only Timberwolves to reach double figures in scoring.
Luka Doncic reveals mindset heading into Game 3 in Minnesota
With Tuesday’s Game 2 win secured, Luka Doncic and the LA Lakers will now shift their focus to Game 3, which takes place Friday in Minnesota.
Minnesota has been familiar territory for Doncic in the playoffs — he averaged 32.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists in last year’s Western Conference finals, when his Dallas Mavericks knocked out the Timberwolves in five games.
Speaking after Game 2, Doncic said he knows what to expect and stressed the importance of the Lakers being ready.
“We got to play the same way, same physicality. It's going to be hard. I remember playing in Minnesota, the crowd is in. They have amazing fans, and we got to stay locked in. It’s us against them.”
Luka Doncic wasn’t the only standout in Game 2. LeBron James added 21 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, while Austin Reaves chipped in 16 points, five rebounds and five assists.
While the Lakers struggled from 3-point range — going just 6-for-29 — their defense proved the difference. Only three Timberwolves players hit a 3-pointer, and just two shot better than 50 percent from the field.