Marcus Smart proves his worth to Lakers in first win of season

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After regretting continued poor performance in the third quarter Tuesday's season-opening lossThe Lakers responded by winning the third frame 40–31 against the Timberwolves. They fired the opening salvo, opening the third quarter with an 8-5 lead, punctuated by a Hachimura dunk that forced Minnesota to call a timeout.

Redick breathed a sigh of relief.

“I think this is the first time in Lakers history that the other team called the first timeout in the third quarter,” Redick said sarcastically. “Okay, okay, okay” with the group. “Okay, group. We did it.” Maybe this is the plan, the coaches are just changing the routine. [a] piece.”

Guard Austin Reeves, who had 25 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds and just one turnover, said the halftime talk consisted of just a few slides explaining plays the team had played well and a few that needed tweaking.

The Lakers turned the ball over on an offensive foul on their first possession, but Doncic quieted the team with a floater in the paint on the next possession.

Doncic had his quietest scoring quarter in the third quarter, scoring just six points, but he dished out four assists, while Reaves and Hachimura scored 11 and 12 points, respectively. They helped the Lakers turn a five-point halftime lead into a comfortable 14-point lead, even with Doncic sitting for the final four minutes of the quarter.

But the Slovenian star remained engaged, even with a bandage on her stomach. On the Lakers' final defensive possession, he stood and waved to the crowd while the rest of his Lakers teammates joined him on their feet. When Jared Vanderbilt's decisive block on Julius Randle's shot ended the quarter, Doncic became the first Lakers player to rush off the bench and greet his teammates as they exited the court.