The Los Angeles Lakers are eager to get up for their second game of the season on Friday, after dropping the season opener on Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors.
More news: Three Takeaways From Lakers’ Loss to Warriors on Opening Night
The Lakers looked underwhelming against their division rivals, and will look to bounce back in a major way on Friday when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves.
LA will look for their first win of the season, and they’ll hope to have their superstar guard Luka Doncic on the court.
Doncic suffered what appeared to be a groin injury on Tuesday in the contest. The next day, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said he doesn’t believe the injury is a big deal.
“He seems to be fine. I don’t think it’s anything major. He got some treatment this morning and we didn’t practice long, but he was a participant in practice,” Redick said.
JJ Redick on Luka Doncic’s groin discomfort late in the Warriors loss: “He seems to be fine. I don’t think it’s anything major. He got some treatment this morning and we didn’t practice long, but he was a participant in practice.”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 22, 2025
Doncic was spectacular in the first game of the season. In the loss, Doncic recorded 43 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, two steals and one block in the 119-109 loss.
More news: Lakers’ Luka Doncic Falls Just Short of Kobe Bryant Record on Opening Night
On Thursday, Redick said Doncic was a full participant in practice.
JJ Redick says Luka Doncic was a full participant in Thursday’s practice and Austin Reaves was a modified participant, dealing with ankle discomfort. While the team hasn’t officially given an injury designation for Reaves for Friday’s game yet, Redick said he expects him to play.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 23, 2025
The 26-year-old is in his first full season in the Purple and Gold and is expected to be the team’s superstar for the next decade.
He inked a three-year, $165 million contract with the club in August. Doncic was traded to the Lakers in early February 2025 in a deal that no one saw coming. He was sent to LA from Dallas in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.
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The Lakers are now Doncic’s team, and the five-time All-Star will look to lead LA back to glory.
LA will host the Timberwolves for their second game of the season, which will also be their second home game.
The 0-1 Lakers will host the 1-0 Timberwolves on Friday in what will be the first of three regular season matchups between these two squads.
Last season, the Lakers finished 50-32 overall and 36-16 in the Western Conference. As for the Timberwolves, they finished 49-33 overall and 33-19 in the West.
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