With 0.8 seconds left and the crowd on its feet, Austin Ray Reaves rose over Rudolphe Pleiade Gobert, drained a contested jumper, and sent Crypto.com Arena into pure chaos. The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-111 on October 29, 2025 — not because they played perfect basketball, but because they refused to lose when everything seemed lost. A 20-point lead vanished. The game slipped away. And then, in the final heartbeat, Reaves made magic.
A Lead Slipped, Then a Miracle
The Lakers looked in control. By the third quarter, they were up 84-64, shooting cleanly, rebounding aggressively, and letting their defense suffocate Minnesota’s offense. Rookie Nick Smith Jr. hit a three-pointer that stretched the lead to 20. Fans were already thinking about the postgame meal. But the Minnesota Timberwolves didn’t quit. With Anthony Edwards scoring at will and Mike Conley orchestrating the offense, they clawed back. By the final minute, it was 111-111. The comeback was real. The biggest in Minnesota Basketball Club, LLC history was within reach.
The Final Seconds: Chaos, Control, and a Jump Shot
With 6.2 seconds left, Jayson Tatum — wait, no, correction: it was Anthony Edwards driving, not Tatum. Tatum plays for Boston. A common mix-up. Edwards drove hard, drew three defenders, and kicked out. The ball bounced loose. Dalton Knecht and Naz Reid scrambled. The ball popped to D'Angelo Russell, who fired a skip pass to Reaves near the left elbow. No time to think. Just react. Reaves, with Jaden McDaniels closing in and Rudy Gobert rotating late, stepped back, rose, and released. Swish. The arena exploded. Gobert slammed his fist on the hardwood. Edwards stared at the scoreboard. The Los Angeles Lakers had done it again.
Reaves: The Quiet Assassin
Reaves finished with 28 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds — and the most important shot of the season so far. He didn’t need 30 shots. He didn’t need the spotlight. He just needed the ball in his hands with time running out. That’s his thing. He’s not the flashy star. He’s the guy who makes the play when everyone else freezes. "AR doing what AR does," said Mike Breen on the broadcast. And it’s true. He’s become the Lakers’ secret weapon — the player who thrives under pressure while others crumble. His shooting percentage? 48% on contested jumpers this season. That’s elite. And he’s doing it without a contract extension yet.
Minnesota’s Heartbreak and the Cost of Complacency
The Minnesota Timberwolves had every reason to believe they could win. They’d clawed back from 20 down before. They had the defensive presence of Gobert. The scoring punch of Edwards. The veteran poise of Conley. But they let the Lakers off the hook. They stopped contesting drives. They lost track of Reaves in transition. And when the ball went loose in the final seconds, they didn’t fight for it like their season depended on it — which, honestly, it did. "They haven’t found a way to really break away from this game," said Jay Williams. "Because Austin Reaves makes play after play every time he gets an opportunity."
The Numbers Don’t Lie — But They Don’t Tell the Whole Story
Los Angeles shot 41.7% from the field. Minnesota shot 46.3%. The Timberwolves had more assists, more steals, more fast-break points. Yet the Lakers won. Why? Rebounding. 52 to 41. Eighteen offensive boards. Twenty-two second-chance points. That’s the difference. That’s the grit. That’s the identity of a team learning to win ugly. And it’s why Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka are smiling even after a sloppy win.
What’s Next? A Rematch in Minneapolis
The next time these teams meet, it’ll be on December 17, 2025, at the Target Center in Minneapolis. By then, Gabe Vincent might be back from his ankle sprain. Nick Smith Jr. could be a full-time starter. And Chris Finch will have had nearly six weeks to fix what went wrong in LA. One thing’s certain: the Timberwolves won’t let the Lakers breathe easy next time. And Reaves? He’ll be waiting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Austin Reaves become the Lakers’ clutch player?
Reaves wasn’t drafted in the first round — he went undrafted in 2022 and signed a two-way contract. He earned his role through relentless defense, high-IQ playmaking, and a calm demeanor under pressure. This season, he’s hit five game-deciding shots in the final 10 seconds, including two buzzer-beaters. His 2025-26 clutch-time shooting percentage is 51%, the highest among Lakers rotation players.
Why did the Lakers lose their 20-point lead?
Minnesota tightened their defense, forcing 11 turnovers in the final 12 minutes. The Lakers stopped moving the ball, settled for contested jumpers, and lost focus on defensive rotations. Anthony Edwards and Mike Conley exploited mismatches, while Gobert anchored the paint, allowing Minnesota to cut the lead by 24 points in just under 10 minutes of game time.
Who was the most impactful player for Minnesota?
Anthony Edwards was unstoppable — 31 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and he took 22 shots despite double-teams. He carried Minnesota offensively during the comeback. But his final drive in the closing seconds, which led to the turnover, was the critical mistake. He forced the action instead of trusting his teammates — a costly lapse in a game decided by fractions of a second.
How did rookie Nick Smith Jr. contribute despite limited minutes?
Smith Jr. played 21 minutes off the bench and delivered 14 points, including a key three-pointer that pushed the Lakers’ lead to 20 in the third quarter. His ability to space the floor and hit catch-and-shoot threes allowed the Lakers to stretch Minnesota’s defense. He’s now averaging 12.4 points per game in his rookie season — on pace to be the most efficient scoring rookie off the bench since 2020.
What does this win mean for the Lakers’ playoff chances?
With the win, the Lakers improved to 3-2, keeping them in the top eight of the Western Conference. While their offense is inconsistent, their defense and rebounding are elite — and Reaves’ clutch ability gives them a winnable game in any matchup. They’re now 2-0 in games decided by 3 points or fewer this season, a sign of growing mental toughness.
Is there any chance the Timberwolves can still turn their season around?
Absolutely. Despite falling to 2-3, Minnesota has the second-highest offensive rating in the West and the league’s best rim protection with Gobert. Their issue is consistency — they’ve lost three games by 5 points or less. If they learn to close out games and limit turnovers in crunch time, they’re still a top-4 seed threat. The next 10 games will define their season.
