The Los Angeles Lakers, despite being the No. 3 seed, were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in just five games, highlighting the Timberwolves' superiority. JJ Redick, a key figure in the series, acknowledged that sometimes the opponent is simply better, stating, "we lost to a better team." Minnesota consistently showcased their strengths, with Anthony Edwards shining and supporting players like Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle stepping up. The Lakers struggled to find balance and key performances from their stars in pivotal moments, leading to their downfall.
"I think it's hard sometimes to admit this and maybe this is hard sometimes for a coach or a player to admit this: we lost to a better team," Redick said in his exit interview.
"Minnesota's a great basketball team. They really are. I said that before the series. I knew that coming into this."
"There was no perfect balance of skill, luck and rotation optimization that would bridge the gap between the Wolves and Lakers."
"Ultimately, it wasn't enough and Minnesota won with relative ease."
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