The Minnesota Timberwolves sent LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers tumbling out of the NBA playoffs at the first hurdle on Wednesday, producing a clinical 103-96 win to complete a 4-1 series victory.- Rockets romp - In Wednesday's other playoff game, Houston kept their series against Golden State alive with a 131-116 thrashing of the Warriors, narrowing the gap in their Western Conference series to 3-2.