🃏 Jokic Contained, Clippers Force Game 7 | Intuit Dome Turns Electric 🎭🔥

Nikola Jokic looked poised for another takeover with 20 first-half points, but Ivica Zubac had other plans. The Serbian MVP finished with 25 points on 50% shooting -well off his regular season mark of 57.6%.

Zubac was instrumental down the stretch, notching two critical stops on Jokic in the final minutes and anchoring the Clippers' paint defense with 3 blocks and 6 rebounds in 33 high-leverage minutes.

On the offensive end, James Harden roared back to life, scoring 28 points on 10-of-20 shooting. He played 46 out of 48 minutes—his most impactful playoff performance since 2020—and carried the Clippers to a 111-105 win to force Game 7.

Kawhi Leonard added 27 points and 10 boards, while Norman Powell had a postseason breakthrough with 24 points off the bench.

A key adjustment by Ty Lue - swapping Kris Dunn for Nicolas Batum to open the second half—freed up space for Harden and slowed down Jamal Murray (21 points after his 43-point explosion in Game 5). Lue’s late-night calls to players ahead of the game clearly paid off.

Game 7 heads back to the Mile High City. Can Zubac and the Clippers contain Jokic again?

🗓️ Game 7: Saturday in Denver
🔥 Buckle up.

💔 Luka Shines, But Lakers Collapse | Timberwolves Eliminate LA in 5 Behind Gobert’s Dominance

Final: Timberwolves 103, Lakers 96 | Series: MIN Wins 4–1

Luka Dončić gave the Lakers everything he had -28 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds - but it wasn’t enough to stave off elimination in Game 5 as the Timberwolves closed out the series 4–1 with a gritty 103–96 win. This was supposed to be the beginning of a new era in LA. Instead, it ended with more questions than answers.

Dončić, despite his offensive brilliance, looked physically worn down throughout the series. His back was clearly bothering him, and his lack of lateral quickness on defense became a liability Minnesota exploited again and again. At times, he was slow to rotate, late to recover, and ineffective guarding the pick-and-roll. While nobody doubts his offensive mastery, Luka’s conditioning and defensive effort will need serious work if the Lakers are to become true title contenders with him as the centrepiece.

“We tried to make it work with what we had and came up a little short,” said Lakers head coach JJ Redick. “We lost to a better team. That’s just the reality.”

🐺 Gobert’s Career Night Carries Wolves to Second Round

While LA struggled to contain Gobert, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year delivered his most dominant playoff performance ever: 27 points and 24 rebounds. Against a Lakers squad that benched its only true center, Gobert controlled the paint on both ends. He scored more in Game 5 than he had in the first four games combined and turned mismatches into layup lines.

The Wolves were ice-cold from three -just 7-of-47, including 17 straight misses at one point—but Gobert’s interior presence, combined with Minnesota’s defensive grit, made the difference. Julius Randle added 23 points, while Anthony Edwards recorded 15 points and 11 rebounds. Edwards may not have exploded offensively, but his composure and leadership were pivotal as Minnesota dominated late, outscoring LA 22–16 in the fourth quarter.

In fact, the Timberwolves outscored the Lakers 127–85 in fourth quarters throughout the series. That’s not a typo.

🧩 Lakers: Big Names, Bigger Problems

The Dončić–LeBron experiment was bold, but the roster lacked balance. Trading Anthony Davis left a gaping hole at center, and the Lakers paid the price. LA’s rebounding was overwhelmed. No player on the roster had more than 7 rebounds in Game 5. Gobert alone had 24.

Rob Pelinka acknowledged the frontcourt failures postgame: “This roster needs more size and needs a center. That was the cost of getting Luka. But now we have time to address it.”

Redick also highlighted the need for better fitness and sharper execution in crunch time. “We have to be in championship shape,” he said, alluding to whispers that Luka’s conditioning may have been holding him—and the team—back.

Still, the organization is doubling down on its core. “Our confidence in Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves is at an all-time high,” Pelinka said. “We just need to build the right pieces around them.”

🐺 Wolves Keep Receipts

The Timberwolves, underdogs in the series and overlooked by most sportsbooks, didn’t let their moment go unnoticed. Their social media team wasted no time trolling LA, reposting preseason predictions and betting odds that heavily favored the Lakers.

Minnesota wasn’t just better - they were bigger, longer, tougher, smarter, and more cohesive. And they’ve now advanced in back-to-back postseasons for the first time in franchise history.

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