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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Gobert dominates as T-Wolves eliminate small-ball Lakers to advance

Gobert dominates as T-Wolves eliminate small-ball Lakers to advance

Published May 1, 2025 05:26 am

At A Glance

  • Rudy Gobert had playoff career highs with 27 points and 24 rebounds, Julius Randle added 23 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves advanced in the NBA playoffs with a 103-96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of their first-round series Wednesday night, April 30.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rudy Gobert had playoff career highs with 27 points and 24 rebounds, Julius Randle added 23 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves advanced in the NBA playoffs with a 103-96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of their first-round series Wednesday night, April 30.

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Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) shoots between Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) and guard Luka Doncic during the first half in Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 30, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Anthony Edwards had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the sixth-seeded Wolves, who won three straight games to eliminate LeBron James and Luka Doncic from their first postseason together.

After winning a playoff round in back-to-back seasons for the first time in franchise history, Minnesota next faces the winner of Houston’s series with Golden State. The Rockets avoided elimination Wednesday, and Game 6 is Friday with the Warriors leading 3-2.

Doncic had 28 points and nine assists, while James added 22 points for the Lakers, who lost in the first round for the second straight postseason despite reconfiguring their roster at midseason with their seismic trade for Doncic.

Rui Hachimura scored 23 points for the Lakers, who have advanced from the opening round just once in five seasons since their 2020 championship in the Florida bubble.

With Gobert running amok in the paint while the Lakers deliberately played without a center, Minnesota won Game 5 despite going 7 for 47 on 3-point attempts, including 17 consecutive misses between the middle of the second quarter and Mike Conley’s dagger 3 with 1:22 to play.

After splitting the first two games in Los Angeles, the Wolves seized control of the series in back-to-back narrow home victories with superior late-game execution.

Gobert then stepped up when the Lakers deployed a small-ball lineup for Game 5, with the French center scoring more points than he managed in the series’ first four games combined.

Minnesota nursed a narrow lead down the stretch, and the Lakers missed five consecutive shots while going 3 1/2 minutes between points.

Meanwhile, Pushed the the brink of elimination, the Houston Rockets delivered a playoff gem to beat the Golden State Warriors and keep their season alive.

Fred VanVleet scored 26 points, Amen Thompson added 25 and the Rockets extended their first-round playoff series with a 131-116 rout in Game 5.

“Nobody wants to go home,” Alperen Sengun said.

Game 6 is Friday in San Francisco.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr threw in the towel early in this one with the game out of hand. A layup by VanVleet midway through the third quarter made it 93-64, and Kerr called timeout and cleared his bench.

Houston coach Ime Udoka followed suit with about a minute to go in the third and his team up 105-76. He put all his starters back in with about eight minutes left after Golden State cut the lead to 109-92.

Dillon Brooks added 24 points on a night when all five Houston starters scored in double figures.

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Rudy Gobert minnesota timberwolves Los Angeles Lakers
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