“Lakers’ Fatal Flaw: The Clock Ticking on Their Season’s Biggest Test After Game 3 Debacle?”

In the ebb and flow of an NBA season, there are often subtle signs that can be masked or misinterpreted in the regular hustle. For the Lakers, this season was no exception; they managed to cleverly hide a chink in their armor—one that was right there for all to see, yet somehow, it seemed like an obstacle they could navigate effortlessly… until they couldn’t.

Gone are those halcyon days of regular-season finesse. Now, in the white-hot glare of the playoffs, facing off against a physically formidable Timberwolves squad, what was once a slight oversight has ballooned into a glaring issue. Luka Doncic, despite clearly feeling under the weather on Friday night, showed his grit against the Timberwolves. However. the Lakers’ dismal defensive showing, particularly their lack of perimeter defense, was arguably more decisive.

What they couldn’t foresee, or might’ve chosen to downplay, was the impact of playing without a true bruiser in the frontcourt. This gap is felt deeply as the Lakers now lag, staring down a 2-1 series deficit against an energetic, well-equipped Minnesota side. The absence of a center, a vital cog in the machinery of any good basketball team, has become an Achilles’ heel that might just topple their playoff aspirations prematurely.

As the games have unfolded, it’s clear the Lakers missed the boat on addressing this relatively straightforward flaw. They had considered bringing in Mark Williams before the trade deadline—a move that could’ve shored up their paint defense considerably. But after a last-minute health scare that made the management think twice, the deal fell through.

Hindsight, they say, is 20/20, and now the question that lingers in the echoes of the Target Center stands as a chilling reminder: Could the Lakers have done more to prevent this existential threat to their season? Should GM Rob Pelinka have perhaps rolled the dice on Williams despite the health concerns? Or had contingency plans in place?

Yet, dwelling on what could’ve been serves no purpose now. The scrimmages, the drills, every ounce of sweat in the preseason—the focus must be on what happens next.

Coach JJ Redick, with his trademark cool, believes they can still overcome their size issue. “We’ve faced shorter teams all year and thrived,” he asserts. His optimism is mirrored by forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who suggests it’s about “standing in front of the ball, not just size or height”.

But words alone won’t win games. While they have James and a sick-but-remarkable Doncic and a potent Austin Reaves, the drumbeat of the playoffs lacks mercy. As the Lakers face what might be their doomsday scenario, the quest for solutions remains paramount—if the season is to have an epilogue other than a bleak winter. LEARN MORE.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement

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McDaniels scored 30 points, including 24 in the paint. Edwards finished with 29 points and a team-high eight assists.Forward Dorian Finney-Smith shared a similar view.Read more: ‘Be a banshee’: How the Lakers cultivated a winning spiritThe Lakers technically have a center in 7-footer Jaxson Hayes, but Redick clearly doesn’t want to play him, evidenced by how Hayes has logged nine or fewer minutes in each of the three games of this series. The nine minutes Hayes played Friday were particularly destructive, as he registered a plus/minus of minus-13.Read more: With Luka Doncic ailing, LeBron James’ historic night can’t save Lakers in Game 3 loss