LeBron absent, dual stars erupt! Doncic 31+11+11, Reaves 31 points, Lakers easily defeat Timberwolves.

On March 11, Beijing time, in the NBA regular season, the Lakers defeated the Timberwolves 120-106 at home, securing a 3-game winning streak for the Lakers.

For the Lakers: Doncic 31 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists; Reaves 31 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists; Ayton 14 points, 12 rebounds; Kennard 10 points. For the Timberwolves: Randle 14 points, 7 rebounds; Edwards 14 points, 4 assists; Reid 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks; Dosunmu 13 points; Shannon 12 points; Hyland 11 points.

In the first quarter, both teams started closely contested, with the Lakers holding a slight 7-6 lead. Subsequently, the Timberwolves consistently attacked inside, with Reid, Randle, and McDaniels scoring consecutively, performing impressively to lead 21-16 at the end of the quarter.

In the second quarter, Ayton shook off his early sluggishness and began scoring inside. After Reaves drove for a layup, the Lakers reversed their initial struggles, tying the game at 30. Following this, Doncic gradually found his rhythm and took control, scoring 8 points individually while also assisting Ayton, revitalizing the Lakers' offense. The Timberwolves maintained decent offensive efficiency, keeping the score close. At halftime, the teams were tied at 45.

In the third quarter, the dual stars Doncic and Reaves ignited. Doncic shot 4/7 and 5/6 from free throws, scoring 14 points with 5 rebounds in the quarter, showing high efficiency. Reaves also excelled, shooting 5/6 and 4/4 from free throws, scoring 16 points in the quarter. Together, Doncic and Reaves combined for 30 points in the quarter, and with their outstanding performance, the Lakers controlled the game, leading 84-68 at the end of the quarter.

In the final quarter, as Reaves, Smart, and Doncic successively hit outside shots, the Lakers extended their lead to 105-84, pushing the game into garbage time. The remainder of the game held no suspense, and the Lakers comfortably maintained their advantage to secure the victory.

Starting Lineups

Lakers: Hachimura, Smart, Ayton, Reaves, Doncic

Timberwolves: McDaniels, Randle, Gobert, Edwards, DiVincenzo