When Game 4 tips off, the Los Angeles Lakers will officially find themselves in must-win territory. There will be no more room for patience or understanding as Los Angeles looks to dig itself out of a 2-1 hole away from home.
Thankfully, if the Lakers are searching for answers, then there's one right in front of them: Fully commit to a five-out approach that Rudy Gobert has yet to exploit.
Los Angeles has run into a wall early in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Across each of the three games it's played thus far, the Lakers have been forced to confront the harsh reality that Jaxson Hayes isn't idealy equipped to play big minutes in this series.
That realization has resulted in the starting center averaging a mere 8.7 minutes per game—and JJ Redick consistently being forced to find alternate paths to success.
The good news for Los Angeles is that Rudy Gobert hasn't been much better. He's averaging just 3.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, failing to exploit the interior mismatches he should've been benefiting from throughout this series.
If the Lakers are going to use that to their advantage, then the best thing they can do is fully commit to a five-out strategy—and design their rotation accordingly.
Lakers must capitalize on Rudy Gobert struggling offensively
Minnesota is a well-oiled machine, utilizing a rotation that includes eight players who have proven capable of playing significant postseason minutes. That admittedly includes Gobert, who hasn't necessarily negatively impacted the Timberwolves despite his low production numbers.
If the Lakers are going to capitalize on the fact that Gobert isn't exploiting smaller defenders on offense, however, then they must go all-in on a floor-spacing strategy.
Throughout his career, forcing Gobert to play in space has been one of the few ways to succeed against him offensively. He's the most prolific rim protector of his generation, but dragging him out the perimeter creates opportunities inside and requires him to contest long shots.
That should work wonders for a Lakers team that can run pick-and-roll sets with any number of players who aren't traditional bigs.
The key to the Lakers making good on this opportunity, however, is firmly accepting that Hayes isn't an ideal starter in this series. Los Angeles must go all-in on this plan, embracing its advantage and providing minutes to the players who fit what they need.
That includes rookie Dalton Knecht, whose ability to space the floor could prove pivotal to generating offense for the lifeless second unit.
Furthermore, the Lakers can't be afraid to embrace the three-ball. They shot 17-of-40 from beyond the arc in Game 3, which is more in line with what they can realistically accomplish than the 6-of-29 shooting that plagued them in Game 2.
If Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves play like they did in the regular season, then the Lakers should have a reliable formula for success by going five-out against Minnesota.