Rudy Gobert finally found his shooting touch, scoring 27 points and grabbing 24 rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves past the Lakers 103-96, clinching their first back-to-back playoff series victories in franchise history.

In a stunning turnaround, Gobert's playoff career-highs propelled the Timberwolves to a 4-1 series victory over the Lakers, marking a historic milestone for the franchise as they celebrate back-to-back playoff wins for the first time ever. While the Timberwolves remained spectacularly awful from beyond the arc, their resolve showed just how far a couple of good games—and a hefty dose of Laker disappointment—can take you in the playoffs.

The Timberwolves, who previously brought the art of basketball shooting hilariously low with a 7 for 47 effort from three-point range, managed to carve out a 14-point lead in the first quarter, showcasing that sometimes starters are not just for breakfast. It seems the team was on a strict diet of rim-rattling dunks and clanked threes, which surprisingly proved to be effective against the perpetually star-studded Los Angeles roster, even if they could not find form from downtown.

In addition to Gobert’s dominating performance, the Minnesota star Anthony Edwards contributed significantly with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists, almost putting together a triple-double and making it a complete team effort, if your definition of teamwork involves watching Gobert dunk from a foot away and shrugging helplessly in the corner while another three-pointer goes up.

LeBron James, continuing to add to his collection of playoff anecdotes, managed to score 22 points but was left reflecting on the season’s exit. He must be wondering what it feels like to have a team with fewer roster changes—not that it seemed to matter as the Lakers experienced déjà vu in the first round for the second straight postseason. When asked about the defeat, James could only sigh and ponder which team might be taking up more vacation space in the stands.

Despite boasting an impressive roster and the ability to conjure highlights, the Lakers’ adjustments seem as effective as a chocolate teapot against the Timberwolves' defense, which, sporadic shooting aside, revealed enough grit to prevent their star-studded foe from having a comfortable postseason. The Lakers' disappointment was palpable; they just couldn't crack the Timberwolves' determined exterior, which seemed fueled by both hope and a heaping sense of bemusement at their own ability to shoot poorly yet still clinch victory.

This series win comes with a sense of excitement for Minnesota who is ready to meet the next challengers: the winner of the Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors series. Whichever team awaits them will be met with a Timberwolves squad now basking in a new-found confidence despite that little shooting hiccup. Minnesota’s fans are likely praying that they’ll not be forced to witness another bout of record-low shooting percentages in the next round. Because who really needs history to repeat itself?

With this victory, Timberwolves fans are feeling euphoric, which is a rare feeling considering a franchise history built on mediocrity and occasional bursts of brilliance. The players, however, seem to have picked up on something that hasn’t been present in years: a sense of playoff identity. For them, it's less about the 3-point achieves and more about cleaning up in the paint. While coaching techniques probably shouldn’t involve honing in on mid-range and free-throw strategies as a last resort, in the Timberwolves' case, a good dose of tenacity and some unexpected bursts of offensive power helps considerably.

As Minnesota celebrates its playoff achievement, the path ahead looks daunting. Nevertheless, one can only live in hope that the team continues to evolve from a lovable but ultimately disappointing franchise into a well-rounded basketball squad capable of challenging for the title. The team will need to address their shooting struggles if they hope to maintain their success—because, let’s face it, it wouldn’t hurt if their shooting improved when they step onto that next playoff stage.