Lakers fans were left in shock after their preseason opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves, where Anthony Davis and LeBron James were notably absent. The shorthanded Lakers, lacking both star power and depth in the center position, fell to the Wolves 124-107, despite their valiant effo

The Lakers got off to a slow start in both halves, but managed to put together energetic runs that kept them in the game. At one point in the third quarter, they closed the gap to just one point, although their o

AR ➡️ Rui pic.twitter.com/HgNIojIRLr

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 5, 2024

Austin Reaves led the team with 16 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, while D’Angelo Russell contributed 14 points and three assists. Dalton Knecht impressed with 16 points on 7-12 shooting, and Gabe Vincent brought a spark off the bench, going 4-6 for 11 points. Max Christie also added 11 points an

Knecht with the smooth middy for his first points on the @Lakers squad 🤩#NBAPreseason pic.twitter.com/W81WaEkP1M

— NBA TV (@NBATV) October 5, 2024

The game began sluggishly for both teams, with the Lakers struggling to find their rhythm offensively. Christie and Knecht provided some offensive boosts, but the Wolves, led by newcomer Donte DiVincenzo, built a double-di

Oh man.

Max Christie is DIFFERENT different this year, huh?

Beautiful pocket bounce pass to Jaxson Hayes for the jam. pic.twitter.com/TSUyKw9WCR

— Lakers Legacy (@LakersLegacyPod) October 5, 2024

In the second quarter, the Wolves shot an impressive 68% while the Lakers’ defense faltered. However, the Lakers rallied late in the quarter, cutting the Wolves’ lead to nine points at halftime thanks to a 13-2 run led by the bench unit

The third quarter saw the Wolves regain control, extending their lead as the Lakers’ defense continued to struggle. Austin Reaves stepped up, doing a little bit of everything to help the Lakers stay in the game. A scoring run led by Reaves and Vincent brought the Lakers within one point, but costly turnovers and poor defense allowed the Wolves to pull away again.

BRONNY WITH THE CHASEDOWN BLOCK 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/RyyPICigzO

— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) October 5, 2024

In the final quarter, Dalton Knecht added some exciting moments, including a quick 3-pointer and a powerful dunk. Despite thes

Though Bronny James made his first basket in a Lakers uniform late in the game, it wasn’t enough to preven

Sneaky bucket

One-point game in the desert 🌵 pic.twitter.com/YaZxWnpMJV

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 5, 2024

Key Takeaways:

• The Lakers’ defense was a glaring issue throughout the game and will need significant impr
• Turnovers were once again a problem for the Lakers, with 20
• Dalton Knecht impressed in his debut, sparking Rookie of the Year buzz early on.
• Gabe Vincent emerged as a key player off the bench, providing energy, defense, and scoring that the Lakers

The Lakers will have another chance to rebound when they face the Phoenix Suns in their next preseason game on Sunday at 6:30 PM PT.