The Los Angeles Lakers are favored in their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but they can't take Anthony Edwards and company lightly. The Timberwolves (49-33) finished only one game behind the Lakers (50-32) in the regular season, although the latter team was 18-10 with Luka Doncic in the lineup.

For the first time since they won the NBA Championship in 2020, the Los Angeles Lakers will not have to fight their way through the NBA Play-In Tournament to get into the playoffs.

The Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs, marking the 24th different team James has faced in the postseason. What's more, James isn't slowing down with age—that much is obvious from how his 22nd went.