As the NBA Playoffs get underway, one of the most compelling first-round matchups in the Western Conference features the No. 3-seeded Los Angeles Lakers squaring off against the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves. With star power on both sides and high stakes in play, this series promises fireworks—and NBA legend Magic Johnson is both excited and concerned.
Despite Los Angeles entering the postseason with momentum and a roster loaded with talent, including LeBron James, Luka Dončić, and Austin Reaves, Johnson sees a major challenge ahead: Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards.
“I’m scared for my Lakers because the game’s most exciting player, superstar Anthony Edwards, is a matchup problem,” Johnson posted on X (formerly Twitter), just two nights before the Lakers host Game 1 at Crypto.com Arena.
The Timberwolves may lack the playoff pedigree of their LA counterparts, but they make up for it with hunger and emerging talent—most notably in Edwards, who has taken his game to new heights this season. The 23-year-old guard led Minnesota to the Western Conference Finals last year and responded to the departure of Karl-Anthony Towns by becoming a more complete offensive force.
In the 2024-25 regular season, Edwards averaged a career-high 27.6 points per game while shooting an impressive 39.5 percent from three-point range—also a career best. His evolution into a reliable shooter and offensive leader has not gone unnoticed, earning him All-NBA Second Team honors.
As the Lakers aim to make a deep playoff run and potentially challenge the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, they must first get past a Timberwolves team fueled by the explosiveness of Edwards and the support of a gritty, resilient supporting cast.
The best-of-seven series tips off with high anticipation, and as Magic Johnson suggests, this could be one of the postseason’s most unpredictable showdowns.
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