The prevailing narrative was that Julius Randle is a disappointment in the playoffs. No matter how many Defensive Player of the Year Awards Rudy Gobert won, he remained constant target of criticism from most well-known NBA commentators.

The Minnesota Timberwolves spent Game 5 in a dismal shooting funk, providing the Los Angeles Lakers with ample opportunity to stave off playoff elimination. While his teammates struggled, Rudy Gobert stepped up against the small-ball Lakers — and on their big man’s shoulders,

Conley’s Minnesota Timberwolves were in Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 27, Dončić’s sixth game in a Lakers uniform. Even though Dončić wasn’t particularly sharp, the Lakers cruised to a 111-102 victory. Long after the visiting locker room cleared out,