Rudy Gobert scored 27 points and caught 24 rebounds while the Minnesota Timberwolves were visiting the semi-finals of the West Conference with a 103-96 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in match 5 on Wednesday.
Julius Randle collected 23 points while the Timberwolves, sixth seeded, finished a 4-1 victory in the first round against the third head of Lakers.
The total of Gobert’s rebound was a record of Timberwolves in the playoffs and his high career high.
Anthony Edwards, from Minnesota, was limited to 15 points while Donte Divincenzo added nine during a night for the two players. Edwards pulled 0 for 11 to 3 points and Divincenzo was 2 for 12.
The Timberwolves had a rebound advantage of 54-37 while advancing the first round for the second consecutive season after not having been so far in the 19 previous seasons. They will face Houston’s Rockets or the Golden State Warriors in the next round.
Luka Doncic collected 28 points and LeBron James added 22 for the Lakers while the last Dynamic Duo of the NBA saw his season end. Dononic, which also harvested nine assists and seven rebounds, was limited in the second half after having undergone a back injury after a hard fault by Divincenzo with 1:01 remaining before half-time.
Rui Hachimura scored 23 points and Austin Reaves had 12 for Los Angeles, who went 20-17, including eliminatory matches, after Donic made his debut with the team on February 10 after an exchange of the Dallas Mavericks.
The Lakers, which dragged 14 in the first half, arrived at less than two on a pointer of 3 James with 3:08 to play in the match. Randle then hit a lay-up and Edwards added an inner hoop to give Timberwolves an advance of 97-91 with 2:22 to do.
Hachimura obtained the Lakers less than three on a 3 pointer with 1:42 to play, but Mike Conley responded with a 3-point pointer for Minnesota for an advance of 100-94 with 1:22 on the left. The shot ended a period of drought by 0 for 18 for the long -range Timberwolves. Minnesota won despite the shooting of 7 out of 47 (14.9%) beyond the arc.
With a chance to move forward, Minnesota took a quick start to lead 29-15 in the first quarter to the advantage of 59-49 at half.
With an obstacle, Los Angeles made a charge in the third quarter, taking his first advance of the match at 78-77 on a pointer of Dorian Finney-Smith with 2:38 remaining in the period. Minnesota entered the fourth quarter with an advantage of 81-80.
– field level media