Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after taking an elbow from Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. [Photo Credit: Reuters]

Outworked and outplayed by Minnesota in Game One, the Lakers know they must find some toughness if they are to bounce back in the first round of the NBA playoffs while the league hopes LA’s biggest stars stick around long enough to boost viewing figures.

LeBron James and Luka Doncic are still a long way from a shocking exit but while the Lakers did not press the panic button after Saturday’s 117-95 mauling in Los Angeles they know they are battling a team with superior strength, speed and size.

The Lakers looked good in the first quarter as Doncic got off to a hot start, finishing with a game-high 37 points, but from the second quarter onward the Timberwolves were in control.

Anthony Edwards smartly broke down the Lakers’ defense to score 22 points, eight rebounds and nine assists as part of a balanced Minnesota attack that also saw big contributions from Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid.

Minnesota had been given little chance ahead of Game One, with many media outlets predicting a Lakers’ sweep, and Edwards said he had told his teammates to use that as fuel.

Asked how they can repeat their success in Game Two on Tuesday, Edwards said the key was to fight to the last second.

While a first-round exit would be tough to take for Lakers fans, it would also be a body blow for the league.

The NBA wants to see superstars like the 40-year-old all-time leading scorer James in the spotlight for as long as possible to reverse the narrative prevalent earlier in the season that people were losing interest in the game.

The league saw a ratings drop-off of 20% early in the season amid criticism that teams had become too reliant on the three-point shot, leading to dull play.

Commissioner Adam Silver, who last year helped negotiate a new 11-year broadcasting deal, has said he is looking at ways of improving the quality of the product through possible changes to the rules.

The ratings tide began to turn when the league served up an expanded schedule on Christmas Day, and a series of blockbuster trades, led by Doncic’s stunning move from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers, got people tuning in again.

At the end of the regular season, viewership was down 2% from the previous year, which Silver called a victory.

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