LeBron James Stats Tonight: How did Lakers superstar perform against Timberwolves in Game 1 of 2025 NBA playoffs? (April 19)

LeBron James is one of the all-time greatest postseason performers ever, so the LA Lakers have some advantage over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Game 1 of the first-round matchup between the two teams was on Saturday night at the Crypto.com Arena.

The Lakers entered the series as the favorites to win the game and the series, but the Timberwolves were no pushovers after finishing the season strong. Coach JJ Redick had his usual starting lineup of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, James and Jaxson Hayes.

So how did "The King" perform tonight against the Timberwolves? He finished with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks. He went 8-for-18 from the field, including 1-for-5 from 3-point range. He also had four turnovers as the red-hot shooting Timberwolves took Game 1 with a 117-95 win.

Here are LeBron James' stats in the first half:

Players	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	+/-
LeBron James	19	5	3	2	3	4	0	36:15	8-18	1-5	2-2	-22

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How did LeBron James perform tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves

Aside from Luka Doncic, the LA Lakers just didn't have it tonight. LeBron James had an alright performance overall with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and three blocks. However, the Lakers needed more from him to overcome the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Lakers were in cruise control in the first quarter despite James being held scoreless. The Timberwolves' hot shooting turned things around the following quarter, and James wasn't able to affect the game due to his teammates being unable to knock down timely shots.

They were still within striking distance in the second quarter, but things took a quick turn after the game resumed after the half. Minnesota looked like they couldn't miss from beyond the arc, hitting a franchise playoff record of 21 shots from beyond the arc.

James, at the age of 40, will have to be more aggressive if the Lakers want to avoid going down 0-2 heading into Games 3 and 4 at the Target Center.

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Is LeBron James showing signs of aging?

For the first time in his NBA career, LeBron James was held scoreless in the first quarter of a playoff game. It was an uncanny performance for James, who has been the model of consistency despite his age. But with his subpar game on Saturday, is "The King" showing signs of aging?

At 40 years old, James is still better than most players in the league. He also dealt with a groin injury back in March, so he has that wear and tear for this postseason. It's normal for him to slow down, though it'll worry the LA Lakers fanbase.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how coach JJ Redick would make some adjustments in the must-win Game 2 on Tuesday.