Game ID: 22500136
Los Angeles Lakers @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at 9:30 PM ET
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
MIN 34 24 28 29 115LAL 32 30 35 19 116
LAL @ MIN ScoutingLAL @ MIN Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
MIN availability going into 10/22 · season opener
full strength
MIN availability going into 10/24 · 1 day's rest
full strength
MIN availability going into 10/26 · 1 day's rest
full strength
MIN availability going into 10/27 · back-to-back
full strength
MIN availability going into 10/29 · 1 day's rest
full strength
MIN availability going into 11/01 · 2 days' restOUT Edwards missed 2 since 10/27, out tonight
OUT Clark missed 2 since 10/27, returns tonight: 19 min (148% of 13)
MIN availability going into 11/03 · 1 day's restOUT Edwards missed 3 since 10/27, out tonight
BACK Clark back 11/01 after 2, 19 min since (148% of 13)
NEW Conley 18 to 23 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 11/05 · 1 day's restOUT Edwards missed 4 since 10/27, returns tonight: 29 min (83% of 35)
BACK Clark back 11/01 after 2, 20 min since (154% of 13)
NEW Conley 18 to 26 min over the last 5
MIN availability going into 11/07 · 1 day's restBACK Edwards back 11/05 after 4, 29 min since (83% of 35)
BACK Clark back 11/01 after 2, 17 min since (136% of 13)
NEW Conley 18 to 25 min over the last 5
LAL availability going into 10/21 · season opener
full strength
LAL availability going into 10/24 · 2 days' rest
full strength
LAL availability going into 10/26 · 1 day's rest
full strength
LAL availability going into 10/27 · back-to-backOUT Hayes missed 2 since 10/24, out tonight
NEW Hachimura 30 to 36 min over the last 3
NEW Ayton 27 to 34 min over the last 3
LAL availability going into 10/29 · 1 day's restOUT Dončić missed 2 since 10/26, out tonight
OUT Hayes missed 3 since 10/24, returns tonight: 13 min (71% of 18)
NEW Hachimura 30 to 36 min over the last 4
NEW Ayton 27 to 34 min over the last 4
LAL availability going into 10/31 · 1 day's restOUT Dončić missed 3 since 10/26, returns tonight: 39 min (108% of 36)
OUT Smart missed 2 since 10/27, returns tonight: 35 min (118% of 29)
OUT Vincent missed 2 since 10/27, out tonight
OUT Kleber missed 2 since 10/27, out tonight
BACK Hayes back 10/29 after 3, 13 min since (71% of 18)
NEW Hachimura 30 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Ayton 27 to 34 min over the last 5
NEW Vanderbilt 17 to 23 min over the last 5
LAL availability going into 11/02 · 1 day's restOUT Vincent missed 3 since 10/27, out tonight
OUT Kleber missed 3 since 10/27, out tonight
BACK Dončić back 10/31 after 3, 39 min since (108% of 36)
BACK Smart back 10/31 after 2, 35 min since (118% of 29)
BACK Hayes back 10/29 after 3, 18 min since (100% of 18)
NEW Hachimura 30 to 37 min over the last 5
NEW LaRavia 24 to 30 min over the last 5
NEW Vanderbilt 17 to 23 min over the last 5
LAL availability going into 11/03 · back-to-backOUT Vincent missed 4 since 10/27, out tonight
OUT Smith Jr. missed 2 since 10/31, returns tonight: 27 min (247% of 11)
OUT Kleber missed 4 since 10/27, out tonight
BACK Dončić back 10/31 after 3, 39 min since (108% of 36)
BACK Smart back 10/31 after 2, 31 min since (105% of 29)
BACK Hayes back 10/29 after 3, 23 min since (127% of 18)
NEW Hachimura 30 to 37 min over the last 5
NEW LaRavia 24 to 31 min over the last 5
LAL availability going into 11/05 · 1 day's restOUT Vincent missed 5 since 10/27, out tonight
OUT Kleber missed 5 since 10/27, out tonight
BACK Dončić back 10/31 after 3, 39 min since (108% of 36)
BACK Smart back 10/31 after 2, 31 min since (106% of 29)
BACK Hayes back 10/29 after 3, 20 min since (113% of 18)
BACK Smith Jr. back 11/03 after 2, 27 min since (247% of 11)
NEW Hachimura 30 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW LaRavia 24 to 32 min over the last 5
10/22 @ POR 118-114 — MIN notes
MIN won 118-114. MIN shot 49% (42 of 86) to POR's 40%, 15 of 30 from three, and got to the line 24 times to POR's 35. Edwards led with 41 (14 of 28, 5 of 10 from three, 8 of 8 at the line); Randle added 19, McDaniels 18. The hinge was Q4, 30-19: MIN came in trailing by 7 and left it ahead by 4. MIN trailed 57-61 at the half and won the second half 61-53. Edwards was the night's best plus/minus at +9.
10/24 @ LAL 110-128 — MIN notes
MIN lost 110-128. MIN took 12 more shots (88 to 76), fed by 15 offensive rebounds, but shot 47% to LAL's 59%, 13 of 38 from three, and got to the line 21 times to LAL's 32. Edwards led with 31 (11 of 19, 3 of 6 from three, 6 of 9 at the line); Randle added 26, DiVincenzo 13. Q1 was theirs, 40-36, but the other 3 periods went 92-70 against them. They led by as many as 11. Edwards's -17 in 35 minutes was the worst on the floor.
10/26 vs IND 114-110 — MIN notes
MIN won 114-110. MIN shot 46% (39 of 84) to IND's 43%, 10 of 33 from three, and went to the line 37 times to IND's 27 — 26 points from the stripe to their 18. Randle led with 31 (11 of 18, 1 of 4 from three, 8 of 10 at the line); DiVincenzo added 17, Reid 16. The hinge was Q3, 28-17: MIN came in trailing by 2 and left it ahead by 9. MIN trailed 58-60 at the half and won the second half 56-50.
10/27 vs DEN 114-127 — MIN notes
MIN lost 114-127. MIN shot 47% (40 of 85) to DEN's 52%, 10 of 32 from three. The glass went 33-46 against them. McDaniels led with 25 (10 of 16, 1 of 3 from three); Randle added 24, Reid 18. Q2 was theirs, 35-23, turning a 4-point deficit into a 8-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 104-79 against them. Gobert's -18 in 26 minutes was the worst on the floor.
10/29 vs LAL 115-116 — MIN notes
MIN lost 115-116. MIN shot 50% (41 of 82) to LAL's 54%, 15 of 30 from three. Randle led with 33 (10 of 20, 4 of 7 from three, 9 of 10 at the line); McDaniels added 30, DiVincenzo 14. Q4 was theirs, 29-19, the deficit cut from 11 to 1, but the other 3 periods went 97-86 against them. Shannon Jr.'s -14 in 16 minutes was the worst on the floor.
11/01 @ CHA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Charlotte comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 124, shooting 50 percent and 40 from three, 27 free throws a game; Ball at 24 and Sexton at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Without Miller (3 straight). One day's rest. Minnesota comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 119, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 27 free throws a game; Randle at 27 and Edwards at 26 a game. Without Edwards (2 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Charlotte wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Charlotte has been plus-7 a night and Minnesota minus-2. Call it Charlotte 123, Minnesota 118.
11/03 @ BKN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Brooklyn comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 126, shooting 45 percent and 32 from three, 20 free throws a game; Thomas at 26 and Porter Jr. at 23 a game. That is 5 straight losses. Without Traore (2 straight), Wolf (6 straight), Etienne (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Minnesota comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 117, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 25 free throws a game; Randle at 29 and McDaniels at 18 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Edwards (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, Minnesota at 38 percent from three to Brooklyn's 32 and the defense, Minnesota allowing 117 a night to Brooklyn's 126. Call it Minnesota 121, Brooklyn 115.
11/05 @ NYK — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New York comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 118, shooting 44 percent and 36 from three, 22 free throws a game; Brunson at 30 and Towns at 20 a game. One day's rest. Minnesota comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 113, shooting 51 percent and 40 from three, 27 free throws a game; Randle at 27 and McDaniels at 20 a game. Without Edwards (4 straight). One day's rest.
So: New York wins, and the game turns on the glass, where New York has been plus-3 a night and Minnesota minus-3 and the line, where Minnesota takes 27 free throws a game to New York's 22. Call it New York 117, Minnesota 115, Minnesota keeping it close.
11/07 vs UTA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 119, shooting 51 percent and 43 from three, 23 free throws a game; Randle at 28 and McDaniels at 21 a game. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. One day's rest. Utah comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 119, shooting 42 percent and 29 from three, 33 free throws a game; Markkanen at 28 and George at 24 a game. Without Kessler (3 straight), Collier (2 straight), Williams (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the arc, Minnesota at 43 percent from three to Utah's 29 and the glass, where Utah has been plus-3 a night and Minnesota minus-6. Call it Minnesota 119, Utah 114.
10/21 vs GSW 109-119 — LAL notes
LAL lost 109-119. LAL shot 55% (42 of 77) to GSW's 49%, 8 of 32 from three. Dončić led with 43 (17 of 27, 2 of 10 from three, 7 of 10 at the line); Reaves added 26, Ayton 10. Q2 was theirs, 32-27, the deficit cut from 6 to 1, but the other 3 periods went 92-77 against them. Reaves's -14 in 36 minutes was the worst on the floor.
10/24 vs MIN 128-110 — LAL notes
LAL won 128-110. LAL shot 59% (45 of 76) to MIN's 47%, 12 of 29 from three, and went to the line 32 times to MIN's 21 — 26 points from the stripe to their 15. Dončić led with 49 (14 of 23, 5 of 12 from three, 16 of 19 at the line); Reaves added 25, Hachimura 23. The hinge was Q2, 32-23: LAL came in trailing by 4 and left it ahead by 5, and the lead reached 25. Smart was the night's best plus/minus at +24.
10/26 @ SAC 127-120 — LAL notes
LAL won 127-120. LAL shot 49% (39 of 80) to SAC's 45%, 8 of 25 from three, and went to the line 46 times to SAC's 18 — 41 points from the stripe to their 12. Reaves led with 51 (12 of 22, 6 of 10 from three, 21 of 22 at the line); Ayton added 22, Hachimura 18. The hinge was Q1, 36-27: from level to 9 ahead. Reaves was the night's best plus/minus at +22.
10/27 vs POR 108-122 — LAL notes
LAL lost 108-122. LAL shot 47% (40 of 86) to POR's 46%, 7 of 27 from three, and went to the line 26 times to POR's 15 — 21 points from the stripe to their 14. LAL turned it over 23 times to POR's 18, and POR turned those into 12 steals. Reaves led with 41 (13 of 22, 3 of 8 from three, 12 of 14 at the line); Hachimura added 16, Ayton 16. Q2 was theirs, 27-29, but the other 3 periods went 93-81 against them. LaRavia's -27 in 29 minutes was the worst on the floor.
10/29 @ MIN 116-115 — LAL notes
LAL won 116-115. LAL shot 54% (45 of 83) to MIN's 50%, 11 of 31 from three. Reaves led with 28 (9 of 24, 3 of 11 from three, 7 of 7 at the line); LaRavia added 27, Hachimura 17. The hinge was Q3, 35-28: a lead of 4 became 11, and the lead reached 20.
10/31 @ MEM — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Memphis comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 123, shooting 46 percent and 33 from three, 29 free throws a game; Morant at 23 and Jackson Jr. at 18 a game. Without Jackson (2 straight), Bassey (2 straight). One day's rest. The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 117, shooting 52 percent and 32 from three, 31 free throws a game; Reaves at 34 and Hachimura at 17 a game. Without Dončić (3 straight), Smart (2 straight), Vincent (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Memphis wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, the Lakers giving it away 17 times a game to Memphis's 14 and the glass, where the Lakers have been plus-1 a night and Memphis minus-4. Call it Memphis 120, the Lakers 119, the Lakers keeping it close.
11/02 vs MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Lakers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 116, shooting 52 percent and 34 from three, 32 free throws a game; Reaves at 33 and Hachimura at 17 a game. Without Vincent (3 straight). One day's rest. Miami comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 114, shooting 49 percent and 41 from three, 23 free throws a game; Powell at 24 and Adebayo at 23 a game. Without Powell (2 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Miami wins, on the road, and the game turns on the line, where the Lakers take 32 free throws a game to Miami's 23 and the arc, Miami at 41 percent from three to the Lakers' 34. Call it Miami 120, the Lakers 117, the Lakers keeping it close.
11/03 @ POR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Portland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 116, shooting 45 percent and 34 from three, 26 free throws a game; Avdija at 23 and Grant at 19 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Henderson (6 straight), Cissoko (2 straight). 2 days' rest. The Lakers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 118, shooting 50 percent and 32 from three, 30 free throws a game; Reaves at 33 and Ayton at 16 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Vincent (4 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Portland wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Portland 122, the Lakers 116.
11/05 vs SAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Lakers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 117, shooting 52 percent and 33 from three, 24 free throws a game; Reaves at 29 and Ayton at 18 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Vincent (5 straight). One day's rest. San Antonio comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 111, shooting 48 percent and 35 from three, 29 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 24 and Castle at 20 a game. It has won the glass by 12 a night. Without Kornet (4 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: The Lakers win, and the game turns on the glass, where San Antonio has been plus-12 a night and the Lakers minus-2. Call it the Lakers 117, San Antonio 116, San Antonio keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
LALAR A. Reaves
BJ B. James
DA D. Ayton
DK D. Knecht
JH J. Hayes
JL J. LaRavia
JV J. Vanderbilt
NS N. Smith Jr.
RH R. Hachimura
MINBH B. Hyland
DD D. DiVincenzo
JM J. McDaniels
JR J. Randle
MC M. Conley
NR N. Reid
RD R. Dillingham
RG R. Gobert
TS T. Shannon Jr.
LAL/MIN the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Lakers fend off Timberwolves on Austin Reaves' buzzer-beater for 116-115 win
MINNEAPOLIS -- — Austin Reaves swished the 12-foot winner in the lane right before the buzzer to finish with 28 points and lift the Los Angeles Lakers to a 116-115 victory on Wednesday after the Minnesota Timberwolves had taken the lead with a late 14-2 run.
Reaves matched his career high with 16 assists, Jake LaRavia had 27 points on 10-for-11 shooting, and DeAndre Ayton added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who built a 20-point late in the third quarter and were up 112-101 after a 3-pointer by Reaves with 4:01 left.
Julius Randle , who led the Wolves with 33 points, capped the furious rally by dropping in the go-ahead finger roll with 10.2 seconds left. Jaden McDaniels added 30 points and seven rebounds for the Wolves.
The star power of this game was considerably diminished with Luka Doncic and LeBron James sidelined for the Lakers and Anthony Edwards out for the Wolves. Reaves, who had a career-high 51 points in a win over Sacramento on Sunday and 41 points in defeat by Portland on Monday, has had something to say with his play about that.
Edwards plopped himself in the middle of the bench and chatted up just about anybody within earshot including some back-and-forth trash talk with LaRavia after a couple of his corner 3s.
The Lakers were hardly themselves, missing four of their five primary ballhandlers with Doncic, James, Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent all injured. Backup center Jaxon Hayes returned from a knee injury that kept him out the last two games.
Reaves sure took care of that, flying all over the court to craftily work the pick-and-roll with Ayton or finding LaRavia or Dalton Knecht (15 points) when the defense converged on him.
Up next The Lakers play at Memphis on Friday. The Timberwolves play at Charlotte on Saturday.