by Five games. Three decided by six points or less. One that came down to a single possession in the final seconds.
That’s what the 2025–26 Lakers-Timberwolves season series has looked like – and it’s a pretty accurate summary of where this rivalry stands heading into the most important stretch of the year.
The Lakers vs Timberwolves timeline used to be a footnote. The Lakers won routinely, Minnesota competed occasionally, and nobody circled these matchups on their calendar.
Lakers vs Timberwolves Timeline
That version of this rivalry is gone. What’s replaced it is something genuinely worth watching – and with playoff positioning still up for grabs in April, the best games may still be ahead.
2025–26 Season Series: All the Results
Here’s every meeting between these two teams in the current season, plus the two most recent games from last year for full context.
| Date | Winner | Score | Key Performer | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 10, 2026 | Lakers | 120–106 | Luka Dončić (34 PTS) | Crypto.com Arena |
| January 15, 2026 | Timberwolves | 118–112 | Anthony Edwards (34 PTS) | Target Center |
| December 2, 2025 | Lakers | 105–102 | Anthony Davis (31 PTS, 14 REB) | Crypto.com Arena |
| October 29, 2025 | Lakers | 116–115 | Austin Reaves (28 PTS), Julius Randle (33 PTS) | Target Center |
| October 22, 2025 | Timberwolves | 124–109 | Julius Randle (25 PTS) | Target Center |
| April 12, 2025 | Lakers | 110–106 | LeBron James (28 PTS, 11 AST) | Crypto.com Arena |
| February 24, 2025 | Timberwolves | 115–101 | Naz Reid (22 PTS) | Target Center |
The season series opener on October 22 set the tone immediately. Minnesota won by 15 at home.
Seven days later, the Lakers went back to Target Center and won by one.
Those two games in the same building, one week apart, with completely different outcomes — that’s the nature of this matchup right now. Neither team has a reliable edge. Both can win on any given night.
The December 2 game is worth flagging separately. Anthony Davis played like the best player on the floor — 31 points and 14 rebounds against a Timberwolves front line that isn’t supposed to allow that.
It was the kind of performance that reminds you why the Lakers are still dangerous even in their fourth quarter of the season.
Head-to-Head History: 2011 to 2026
Fifteen years of data. One clear shift.
| Category | Los Angeles Lakers | Minnesota Timberwolves |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Season Wins | 34 | 22 |
| Playoff / Play-In Wins | 2 | 1 |
| Highest Points in a Game | 142 (Dec 2019) | 127 (Mar 2024) |
| Longest Winning Streak | 22 Games (2007–2012) | 5 Games (2021–2022) |
| Average Points Per Game | 108.5 | 104.2 |
The Lakers’ 22-game winning streak between 2007 and 2012 is the number that tells you everything about what this used to be.
That kind of dominance doesn’t happen by accident — it reflects how wide the talent gap was, how different the rosters were, and how little Minnesota could do to slow down those Kobe-led Lakers teams.
The pivot point is 2023. Since then, Minnesota has won roughly 65% of its games against Los Angeles. That’s a bigger flip than most fans realize.
The overall record still tilts toward the Lakers, but the direction of travel is unmistakably toward Minnesota.
How the Rivalry Evolved: Three Turning Points
When the Lakers Owned Everything (1990s–2018)
This era is simple to summarize: the Lakers were better, almost every year.
Kevin Garnett gave the Timberwolves a genuine superstar in the early 2000s, but the roster around him — while improved — never quite reached championship caliber.
After Garnett’s trade to Boston in 2007, Minnesota entered a long stretch of rebuilding that made these matchups easy for Los Angeles.
Even as the Kobe era wound down and the Lakers went through their own transition period, the head-to-head record kept tilting their way.
History has weight in the NBA, and the Lakers were cashing in on theirs.
LeBron’s Arrival Resets the Lakers (2019–2022)
LeBron James’s joining Los Angeles in 2018 fast-tracked the franchise’s return to relevance.
The 2020 championship — won with LeBron and Anthony Davis leading a focused, veteran-heavy group — confirmed they were back.
Minnesota during this stretch was building its second chapter: Towns was their offensive anchor, Wiggins had moved on to Golden State, and Edwards was just beginning to emerge.
The Timberwolves vs Lakers timeline in these years was still tilted toward LA.
The Timberwolves were improving, but they weren’t yet a team that made the Lakers nervous.
Anthony Edwards Makes Minnesota Dangerous (2023–Present)
The clearest turning point in this entire rivalry is Edwards becoming a franchise-level player. Not a good young scorer.
A franchise player — someone who can take over games, defend the opposing team’s best wing, and lead a team in high-leverage moments.
Paired with Rudy Gobert’s defensive authority in the paint and Jaden McDaniels’ versatility on the perimeter, Minnesota built a roster without obvious holes.
The 2025 Play-In win over the Lakers wasn’t a surprise to people watching this team closely. It was confirmation of something that had been building for two years.
The Individual Battles That Shape Every Game
Dončić vs Edwards: The Star Matchup
Both players dropped exactly 34 points in their respective wins this season. That’s not just a fun coincidence — it reflects how evenly matched they are as scorers when fully locked in.
Dončić reads defenses and creates advantages through positioning and pace. Edwards creates advantages through athleticism and aggression.
Guarding one is a chess problem; guarding the other is a physical test. Teams that face both in a series — like the Lakers and Timberwolves increasingly do — have to solve completely different problems within the same game.
Davis vs Gobert: The Frontcourt Clash
Anthony Davis is one of the few big men in the league who can genuinely challenge Gobert.
His ability to score in the post, step out to the perimeter, and make plays off the dribble pulls Gobert into uncomfortable situations.
Gobert, in turn, changes Davis’ approach near the basket — forcing him further from the rim and making interior passing lanes much tighter.
The player who stays out of foul trouble longer almost always wins this individual battle. And the team that wins this battle usually wins the game.
The Supporting Cast: Randle, Reaves, and Reid
Julius Randle has been a significant factor in this series — 33 points in the October 29 win, 25 points in Minnesota’s season-opening blowout. He’s one of the few role players on either team capable of going for 30 on a given night.
Austin Reaves, meanwhile, has consistently performed in this matchup when the defense shifts to stop Dončić.
Minnesota doesn’t have a natural answer for him, which is a problem that doesn’t go away.
For Minnesota, Naz Reid off the bench provides reliable interior scoring that the Lakers can’t always account for.
His 22-point performance in February came in a game where the starters were struggling — exactly the kind of contribution that makes a bench player valuable in a close series.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who leads the overall head-to-head series?
The Lakers lead 34–22 in regular-season wins since 2011. Since 2023, Minnesota has won roughly 65% of its meetings.
- What’s the most important playoff meeting between these teams?
The 2004 Western Conference Finals and the 2025 Play-In Tournament are the most significant postseason meetings to date. Minnesota won the 2025 Play-In game.
- Which players matter most in this matchup?
Luka Dončić, Anthony Davis, and LeBron James for the Lakers. Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels for Minnesota.
- Why is Gobert such a problem for the Lakers specifically?
He limits easy paint scoring, which is central to how the Lakers use Anthony Davis. His size and positioning force the Lakers into more perimeter-dependent offense, which is harder to sustain over 48 minutes.
- What was the tightest game in the 2025–26 season series?
October 29, 2026 — a 116–115 Lakers win in Minnesota. Julius Randle scored 33, and Austin Reaves added 28 in a game that was decided on the final possession.
- Where can I watch upcoming Lakers vs Timberwolves games?
ESPN, TNT, and ABC for nationally televised games. The NBA app and live TV streaming services like YouTube TV carry most matchups.
The Next Chapter Starts in April
The remaining games between these teams matter — for seeding, for momentum, and potentially for playoff bracket positioning.
A first-round meeting between the Lakers and Timberwolves would be one of the most competitive series in the postseason field.
The full Lakers vs Timberwolves timeline has covered a lot of ground since that 22-game winning streak.
What once looked like a mismatch now looks like the West’s most genuinely unpredictable rivalry.
The Lakers have the legacy. Minnesota has the hunger. April will tell us which one carries more weight this year.
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