Playoff basketball always demands sacrifices. And tonight, for Rui Hachimura, that sacrifice came with a protective mask. The Lakers forward, who has quietly been one of L.A.’s most consistent playoff performers, hit the court for Game 3 against the Timberwolves wearing a face mask — a visible reminder of the brutal physicality this series has already unleashed. The sight caught fans’ attention immediately. After all, Hachimura wasn’t wearing it in Game 2, was he?
Turns out, there’s a story behind the mask. And it’s rooted in the Lakers’ desperate fight to regain control.
Midway through Game 2, Rui Hachimura took a painful elbow to the face from Naz Reid during a scramble for positioning. Cameras caught the full impact: Reid’s elbow flush against Hachimura’s nose, sending him down hard. He missed about 10 minutes of game time before eventually returning to the bench — and symbolically tossing aside a mask he was briefly fitted with.
According to Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet, Hachimura isn’t expected to miss any time. But to protect his face — and avoid further damage in an already physical series — the team made the call: suit up with a mask for Game 3.
The timing couldn’t have been more important. With the series tied 1-1 and shifting to Minnesota, the Lakers need every ounce of physicality they can muster. In Games 1 and 2, they struggled offensively, putting up just 95 and 94 points, respectively. Defensively, they held their ground, but the margin for error is razor-thin.
And that’s where Rui matters.
(This is a developing story…)
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