Overview

• The Los Angeles Lakers, under rookie head coach JJ Redick, secured the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with a 50-32 record.
• The Lakers will face the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves, who ended their season with a three-game winning streak and rank in the top 10 for both offense and defense.
• Luka Doncic, who led the Mavericks in defeating Minnesota in last year’s playoffs, will be a key focus for the Lakers’ offensive strategy.
• The Timberwolves’ offseason trade of Karl-Anthony Towns has been cited as a factor in their less successful season compared to their Western Conference Finals run last year.
• The Lakers and Timberwolves split their regular-season series 2-2, with both teams showcasing competitive performances that set the stage for a tightly contested playoff series.