The win gave the Timberwolves a 4-1 series victory over coach JJ Redick’s team, leaving fans and media scrambling to make sense of how a promising season went awry so fast.

The Timberwolves’ win was not without controversy as fans and media chimed in with their viewpoints from across the country.

NBA on TNT host Charles Barkley was among them, as the ‘Round Mound of Rebound’ lost his patience on Luka Doncic following his back injury and subpar showing.

“At some point you just can’t go out and get big guys when he (Doncic) can’t play no damn defense,” Barkley said.

“He gotta learn to play defense and get in shape,” Barkley added about Doncic, cautioning Lakers fans that adding a talented big man this season won’t necessarily punch their ticket to the NBA Finals.

Barkley’s comments echoed reported concerns from Mavericks officials prior to their trade of Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis.

Some fans took issue with the comments from ‘Sir Charles.’

“Barkley is a Luka hater,” one fan said. “Might have a notebook of bad things to say about Luka and practices it in front of a mirror. That’s all he can do to try and stay ‘relevant.'”

“Charles Barkley telling other people to get in shape,” another fan said with a crying eyes emoji.

Doncic fought through a back injury to score 28 points while dishing out nine assists and seven rebounds in 40 minutes, but it wasn’t enough as the Lakers’ lack of defense, especially in the post, was exposed.

Issues With Kyrie Irving Revived in LA as Luka Doncic Makes Honest Statement on LA Future

On a night when the stakes couldn’t have been higher, when the banners of legends like Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar looked down from the rafters, the Los Angeles Lakers were supposed to rise. Instead, they fell hard. A Game 5 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, a 4–1 first-round playoff exit, and a season that once glimmered with Luka Doncic-fueled hope ended in crushing disappointment. And somehow, amidst all the heartbreak, Kyrie Irving—not in uniform, not even limping—walked into Crypto.com Arena and stole the show.

Dressed in designer from head to toe, no crutches, no brace, no visible signs of the ACL tear that ended his season in March, Kyrie was all vibes. But to Lakers fans and NBA diehards alike, it was more than just a fashion statement. It was a symbol. A flashback. A question: What happened to Luka and Kyrie? And could this reunion—this courtside glimpse of chemistry long lost—have been something more?

The sight of Kyrie courtside, watching Luka struggle through pain and pressure, stirred memories of what once was in Dallas—a bond that never quite reached its full potential. After the game, Luka addressed that very topic. When asked if the lack of chemistry or closing struggles played a role in the series loss, Doncic offered a vulnerable, honest look into what it really means to try and figure things out on the fly.

“It’s tough to get that chemistry on the court without any practices,” he said. “I look back with Kyrie, when he got traded to the Mavs, we didn’t really connect on the court. Obviously, you see the game, but it’s not the same as being teammates. We didn’t know each other’s games like that.”

Now, with the Lakers, he hoped for a different outcome. But the results were achingly familiar—missed opportunities, disjointed offense, and another season slipping away in the fourth quarter. In fact, the Lakers averaged just 17 points in the final quarter across the series, despite having Luka and LeBron James, two of the best closers in basketball.

And yet, Luka remains hopeful. “I’m excited to have a preseason so we can learn about each other on court a lot,” he said, referring to LeBron. “That’s how I look at it.” But when pressed about his future—specifically whether he’d consider signing an extension on August 2, when he’s first eligible—Luka hesitated: “I didn’t think about it yet,” he said. “Obviously, now’s the time to think about everything.”

It was raw. It was real. It was the sound of a star reflecting not just on a playoff loss, but on an uncertain future.

Luka Doncic’s painful Game 5 that broke millions of hearts

This wasn’t supposed to be the ending. The Lakers returned home, desperate and hungry, after giving away Games 3 and 4 late. Game 5 was their moment. And when LeBron hit a late three to bring them within two—down just 93-91 with 3:08 left—it felt like destiny. But destiny didn’t care.

Minnesota closed the game on a 9–3 run. Anthony Edwards couldn’t hit a shot (5-of-19, 0-of-11 from deep). The Wolves shot a miserable 14.9% from three and 40.4% from the field. Yet it was still not enough for L.A. Why?

Out rebounded 54-37. Gave up 18 offensive boards. Allowed 20 second-chance points. Lost the paint battle 56-40. And then there was Rudy Gobert, the guy who’d been irrelevant offensively all series. On Wednesday night, he turned into Wilt Chamberlain, dropping 27 points on 12-of-15 shooting, while snatching 24 rebounds like a man possessed.

Even with Rui Hachimura lighting up from deep (23 points, 5-of-8 from three) and Dorian Finney-Smith giving solid minutes before fouling out, there just wasn’t enough help. Austin Reaves, once a playoff darling, looked over-matched—12 points, 6 turnovers, and 2-of-10 from beyond the arc.

Luka himself had his moments—28 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds—but he couldn’t stay in front of anyone on defense. He played through pain after a hard fall in the first half, yet pushed through the second. Still, it wasn’t enough.

And as Kyrie sat courtside, fans couldn’t help but wonder: Was this a sign? Was this a goodbye? Was it a beginning? The bond between him and Luka is real. They hugged for what felt like forever back in February. They spoke highly of each other in interviews. Kyrie said he was proud of Luka Doncic. Luka said it was “amazing” to finally understand each other on the court—only for injury and timing to rob them of their chance.

And somewhere deep in that pain, as Kyrie smiled from the sidelines and Luka Doncic limped back to the locker room, one thought echoed louder than the rest: This can’t be the ending.