MINNEAPOLIS — Somehow, the Lakers concealed the shortcoming in plain sight for months, enough to where the situation looked manageable.
That was then.
Now, in a postseason series against an athletic team with size, their lack of a big man has become a major problem. Now, as the Lakers find themselves with a two-games-to-one deficit in their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the absence of a reliable center could be why their season comes to a premature end.
Luka Doncic was said to be feeling awful on Friday night, and his play reflected it.