Lakers 2025 Playoff Elimination: Reaves Fall, Redick’s Rotations, and a Team That Mailed It In

The Los Angeles Lakers’ 2025 playoff run ended in a disheartening 4-1 first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, a series that exposed glaring weaknesses and raised existential questions about the franchise’s future. With a blockbuster trade for Luka Doncic, a 50-win regular season, and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, expectations were sky-high—conference finals at minimum, maybe even a banner. Instead, the Lakers sputtered, outscored 127-85 in fourth quarters across the series, culminating in a 103-96 Game 5 loss that felt like a surrender before tip-off. Let’s unpack the collapse, starting with Austin Reaves’ disappearing act, JJ Redick’s questionable coaching, Luka Doncic’s lackluster series, and the structural flaws that doomed this team. Where do the Lakers go from here? Let’s dive in.

Austin Reaves: From Untouchable to Unplayable?

Austin Reaves entered the 2025 playoffs as the Lakers’ golden boy, a homegrown talent deemed untouchable in trade talks, even when Dallas pushed for him in the Doncic deal. His regular season backed up the hype: after the All-Star break, Reaves averaged 22.2 points on 48.3% field goal shooting and 40.6% from three, emerging as a legitimate third star alongside LeBron James and Doncic. He was a clutch shot-maker, a playmaker with 10-assist games, and a headband-wearing spark plug who set franchise records, like 15 threes in a two-game span. Fans and analysts alike saw All-Star potential.

Then the playoffs happened. Facing Minnesota’s suffocating perimeter defense, Reaves went from All-Star to bench-warmer vibes. In the five-game series, he averaged just 12.0 points on a dismal 35.7% from the field and a shocking 25.0% from three, per NBA.com playoff stats. In Game 5, he shot 5-of-14 for 12 points, a far cry from his regular-season efficiency. “Austin Reaves shooting Curry volume 3’s except they were like Shaq was shooting them.” couldn't ring more true. His open looks clanked, his drives stalled against Minnesota’s length.

New insight reveals Reaves was battling a right ankle sprain and a big toe sprain during the series, which may explain some of his struggles. But injuries don’t fully excuse the night-and-day drop-off. Regular season Reaves was a 37.1% catch-and-shoot three-point shooter, thriving in Doncic’s gravity-driven offense. Playoff Reaves couldn’t buy a bucket, and his “untouchable” status is now in question. With Doncic and James replicating his playmaking, some argue he’s expendable for a trade to address the Lakers’ size issues. Did Reaves play his way out of LA’s core, or was this a blip exacerbated by injury?

JJ Redick’s Rotations: Bold or Boneheaded?

First-year coach JJ Redick earned praise for guiding the Lakers to 50 wins, integrating Doncic midseason, and installing a modern, five-out system that ranked top-10 in offensive rating post-trade. But his playoff rotations sparked heated debate. In Game 4, Redick made history—infamously—by playing the same five players (Doncic, James, Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith) for the entire second half, the first time this happened in playoff history. The “Lasers lineup” started strong but faded, outscored 32-19 in the fourth as fatigue set in. Redick doubled down in Game 5, benching starting center Jaxson Hayes entirely and playing no one taller than 6’8.

Redick’s rationale? He trusted his best five to maximize spacing and switchability against Minnesota’s size. But the decision backfired spectacularly. Rudy Gobert feasted in Game 5, posting a playoff-career-high 27 points and 24 rebounds, exploiting the Lakers’ lack of rim protection. meny slammed Redick’s refusal to play Hayes or backup Alex Len, with one calling it a reason the Lakers “got cooked.” Redick did speak to benched players like Hayes, Gabe Vincent, and Jarred Vanderbilt to ensure their readiness, but his actions spoke louder—no subs in critical moments signaled a lack of trust in his depth.

To be fair, Redick faced an impossible situation. The trade of Anthony Davis, the Lakers’ defensive anchor, left a gaping hole at center. Hayes, thrust into the starting role, struggled with foul trouble and couldn’t handle Minnesota’s physicality. A failed trade for Charlotte’s Mark Williams, undone due to medical concerns, didn’t help. Still, Redick’s inflexibility and small-ball obsession—leaning on a “death lineup” of Doncic, Reaves, James, Hachimura, and Finney-Smith—left the Lakers undersized and exhausted. Was Redick outcoached, or did he lack the personnel to compete?

Doncic’s numbers weren’t terrible—specific playoff stats for 2025 are unavailable here, but Game 4 saw him combine with James for 43 first-half points. Yet fans and analysts noted a lack of clutch dominance. many criticized his “missed layup followed by not even attempting to get back” in Game 5, and his one-assist game in an earlier loss raised eyebrows. Was his head still in Dallas, where he’d built a legacy before the trade? Or was he hampered by injuries and Minnesota’s defense? At 26, Doncic is entering his prime, and the Lakers are all-in, reportedly expecting a long-term extension. It’s time for Luka to channel his Mavericks playoff heroics—32.4 points per game against these same Wolves—and lead LA with the heart of a champion.

Mailed-In Effort: The Elimination Game Disgrace

The Lakers’ Game 5 performance was, frankly, embarrassing. Down 3-1, facing elimination at home, they played with the urgency of a preseason scrimmage. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, despite shooting 5-of-19, led with maturity, while Gobert dominated the paint. The Lakers, meanwhile, looked gassed and disjointed. LeBron James, at 40, struggled in the fourth, missing point-blank shots. Reaves clanked open threes. Doncic couldn’t close. The Wolves out-executed LA in clutch moments, winning the series’ seven clutch minutes 25-11. You couldn’t tell it was an elimination game based on the Lakers’ energy.

This wasn’t the Lakers’ championship pedigree. The team that routed higher seeds in the regular season and boasted two of the NBA’s best closers in James and Doncic folded under pressure. Redick pointed to conditioning as a factor, noting some players weren’t in “championship shape.” Was this a leadership failure from James and Doncic, a coaching misstep, or a roster too thin to compete?

Where Do the Lakers Go From Here?

The Lakers face a pivotal offseason. Here are the key questions:

LeBron’s Future: At 40, James has a $52.6 million player option for 2025-26. He’s expected to play one or two more seasons, and LA could plan a Kobe-style farewell tour, especially with the 2026 All-Star Game in LA. But his fourth-quarter struggles and heavy minutes raise concerns. Should he stay, or would a trade (unlikely) or retirement clear space for a rebuild around Doncic?

Clean House or Tweak?: GM Rob Pelinka, fresh off an extension, must address the center position. Free agents like Brook Lopez or Clint Capela could help, but trading Reaves might be the only way to land a quality big. The roster needs size, rim protection, and another two-way wing. Do you blow it up or build around Doncic, James, and Reaves?

Redick’s Role: Redick’s debut was impressive, but his playoff decisions drew scrutiny. Does he deserve another year to mold the roster to his vision, or is his inexperience a liability?

Reaves’ Value: Is Reaves a core piece or trade bait? His playoff flop hurts, but his regular-season growth and injury context suggest he’s still valuable.

The Lakers’ 17 championships demand excellence, not first-round exits. This series exposed a team that’s talented but flawed, star-heavy but unbalanced. Doncic must step up as the franchise’s future. James must decide his legacy’s final chapter. Pelinka must find a center. And Redick must adapt. Lakers Nation, what’s the move? Trade Reaves? Keep LeBron? Fire Redick? Drop your thoughts below—this offseason is make-or-break.