After days of reflection, LeBron says it wasn’t about effort — the Timberwolves were just the wrong opponent at the wrong time.
The Lakers are out, and LeBron James isn’t making excuses.
In the first episode of his Mind the Game podcast since the season ended, James joined co-host Steve Nash to reflect on Los Angeles’ 4–1 first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. And after replaying the moments in his mind and dissecting the “what-ifs,” LeBron landed on one simple truth:
“It’s the matchups. And we ran into a damn good matchup.”
“Unraveling All Those Emotions”
LeBron admitted the days following the loss were tough.
“I’ve unraveled all of those emotions… going back analytically, seeing what I could’ve done better, what we could’ve done better. Thinking about the individual matchups. Their team versus our team.”
“You said it, man. We entered the season well. But when it comes to the postseason, matchups sometimes erase whatever momentum you had in the regular season.”
That’s where Minnesota came in.
James praised the Timberwolves for their combination of youth, hunger, and playoff composure, calling them “battle-tested” and “a team trying to make the next step.”
“They were a worthy opponent for sure.”
Timberwolves Were Simply the Better Team
Despite the Lakers closing the regular season on a strong note, Minnesota’s defensive pressure, size, and depth overwhelmed them over the five-game series.
LeBron didn’t point fingers, nor did he highlight one specific issue. Instead, he framed the entire series around a cold postseason reality: sometimes the wrong matchup neutralizes your strengths.
“We’ve had time to reflect, and watching other series unfold just reinforces it. We ran into a tough matchup — plain and simple.”
What Could’ve Been?
Though LeBron didn’t dwell on hypotheticals, the context makes the disappointment sharper.
Had the Lakers survived the first round, they would’ve faced a Warriors team suddenly missing Stephen Curry for multiple games. Instead, LeBron’s season ended with a sprained MCL and unanswered questions about his future.
No Excuses, Just Reality
This wasn’t a collapse or a meltdown — it was a case of running into the wrong team at the wrong time. And LeBron, in typical fashion, owned it.
“They were hungry. They had experience. And they were ready. That’s what you want in a postseason opponent — unfortunately for us, they weren’t on our side.”
