Timberwolves-Lakers Game 5: Start time, network revealed

It doesn't look like it'll be Lakers in five, but there will officially be a Game 5 on Wednesday.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic shoots the ball over Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle during the third quarter of Game 2 of their first-round playoff series at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on April 22, 2025. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

It probably won't be the Los Angeles Lakers in five like ESPN's Shannon Sharpe predicted, but there will officially be a Game 5 between the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves, who split the first two games of their Western Conference first-round playoff series this week. And now there's officially a start time and network for this Wednesday's Game 5.

The NBA announced start times and networks for a trio of Game 5s late Wednesday, including Wolves-Lakers, who will tip off for Game 5 at 9 p.m. CT this Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The game will be televised on TNT.

The series is tied at one game apiece after the Wolves took Game 1 in L.A. and the Lakers bounced back with a Game 2 victory. The series now shifts to Target Center in Minneapolis for Games 3 and 4, which are scheduled for 8:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. tipoffs on Friday and Sunday, respectively. Should the series go the full seven games, there would be a Game 6 in Minneapolis on Friday, May 2, and a Game 7 in L.A. on Sunday, May 4. Times and networks are to be determined.

The NBA also announced start times for Game 5s between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets, and the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat on Wednesday. Warriors-Rockets, which is tied at 1-1, will tip off at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday on TNT preceding the Wolves-Lakers game, while Cavaliers-Heat, which Cleveland leads 2-0, would have a 6 p.m. tipoff on NBATV Wednesday should a Game 5 be necessary. The playoff schedule also remains subject to change.