Minnesota Timberwolves Seize Win Against Los Angeles Lakers In Game 4
The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers matched up for Game 4 of the NBA Playoffs, Western Conference, first round on Sunday in Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves lead the series 2-1 after winning Game 3 on Friday. The Timberwolves shot 48% from the field and 36% from the three-point line. Jaden McDaniels scored 30 points in the game, shooting 13-22 from the field. Anthony Edwards of the Timberwolves would also have a good game, scoring 29 points and shooting 50% from the three-point line, going 5-for-10.
Los Angeles Lakers Lebron James had a good game in the loss, scoring 38 points with 10 rebounds. The Lakers shot 47% from the field and 42% from the three-point line. Luka Doncic was under the weather for Game 3 but still played. He scored 17 points with eight assists and seven rebounds. The Lakers wouldn’t have enough to beat the T’wolves and look to even the series out at 2-2. The Lakers haven’t looked together in the series and are making bad turnovers. Also, someone from the Lakers unit will need to step up other than their stars, who will it be?
Minnesota Timberwolves Doing It When It Counts
The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers battled back and forth in the first quarter. Lakers Luka Doncic shot 3-for-6 from the field and 1-for-3 from the three-point line; he had 11 in the first quarter. Lebron James scored nine in the opening quarter, getting fouled and making the Timberwolves pay for it from the free-throw line. The Lakers pushed a lead to ten with 49 seconds left in the first. Before the quarter ended, Edwards scored a quick five points in the closing seconds of the quarter and then got fouled with eight seconds left. Edwards would make one of two, and the Lakers would lead by four at the end of one.
In the second quarter, the Lakers would hold the Timberwolves under them by just a few possessions. Just like in the first quarter, Minnesota would make a run led by Ant-Man himself, and after getting fouled, and Edwards would make two free throws to give the Timberwolves the lead. With 19 seconds left, Lakers forward Rui Hachimura would hit a three-pointer, tying the game at 58. Julius Randle of the Timberwolves would sink a three with one second left on the clock, and Minnesota would lead at halftime, 61-58. James would have 22 points at the end of the half, along with Doncic having 21. Edwards(19) and Randle(21) would combine for 40 at halftime.
Minnesota Timberwolves Refused To Lie Down
At the start of the second half, the Los Angeles Lakers would start raining threes, and after four minutes of the beginning of the third quarter, the Lakers would go up 11. Minnesota would close down the lead to two, but then the Lakers would drive the lead back up to 10. Lakers guard Austin Reaves would score 11 points in the third quarter, shooting three for four from the three-point line. Hachimura would score 10 in the quarter. The Lakers would hold the lead over the T’wolves at 10 at the end of three, 94-84.
In the fourth quarter, the Lakers would hold the lead for most of the quarter, the Timberwolves would tighten up their defense, and begin an offensive run for themselves with six minutes left in regulation. Minnesota would be down by two with 3:47 left in the game. Doncic would foul Edwards on a three-point attempt, Edwards would make all three, putting the T’wolves up by one. Hachimura would cash in a three, putting the Lakers back up, but Naz Reid of Minnesota would answer back, and the score would be 108-107, Timberwolves. Minnesota and Los Angeles would go back and forth until the score was tied 113-113.
McDaniels would be fouled on the tying basket, but Reaves sends him to the free throw line for one he makes. T’Wolves would go up by one, 114-113, with 39 seconds left in the game. After a bad pass by James, the Timberwolves would steal the ball, and then on a drive attempt by Edwards, the ball would go out of his hands. Refs would call off Edwards, but Minnesota would challenge with 10.1 seconds left. The Timberwolves challenge would be successful, officials would say James fouled Edwards across the wrist, sending Edwards to the free-throw line for two.
Ant-Man made both, scoring 116-113 with 10 seconds left. The Lakers missed the three to send the game into overtime. T’wolves for the win 116-113. Minnesota leads the series over the Lakers 3-1. The Lakers shot 45% from the field and 40% from the three-point line. Minnesota would shoot 42% from the field and 38.9% from the three-point line. Game 5 will be on Wednesday in Los Angeles.
