Despite a huge second half effort from the Lakers, who played just five players the final two quarters, the Wolves overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to grab a stranglehold on the series, winning Game 4, 116-113.
Minnesota now leads the series 3-1.
After starting Jaxson Hayes to open the game, head coach JJ Redick went to Finney-Smith in the second half. The five-man lineup of LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and DFS did not sit in the second half.
LeBron James ended with 27 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, three steals and three blocks. Luka Dončić scored 38 points, going 5-12 from range. Rui Hachimura pitched in with 23 points on 5-10 shooting from three.
Austin Reaves was held scoreless in the first half, but ignited in the second half to finish with 17 points.
It was a Rui and Julius Randle show early as both players started the scoring for their respective teams. Rui had five points and made two of his first three shots. LeBron also drained a difficult fallaway 3-pointer.
Luka looked much better and more energetic. He missed his first two attempts from behind the arc, but was up to six points. LA was losing the rebounding battle with 10 to Minnesota’s 12.
Randle was the only Wolves player to hit double digits as he continued to shoulder the scoring load for his team. The Lakers were up by four with three minutes left in the quarter. A positive for LA was that Naz Reid picked up two fouls.
The Lakers, as usual, couldn’t close a quarter properly, allowing Minnesota to gain momentum to close to within four at the end of the first.
The second quarter began with a 3-pointer by LeBron. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was having a strong game for the Wolves with five points off the bench. Austin, meanwhile, was not as he picked up his third foul and was still scoreless.
Aside from Rui in the first few minutes of the first quarter, Luka and LeBron were the only Lakers scoring for most of the half.
Randle drained a 3-pointer to make it a one-point game, but Luka responded with one of his signature stepback threes. LeBron attacked the paint throughout this half. The bulk of his points had come from the charity stripe, where he shot 14 in the first half.
Los Angeles responded well to the mini-scoring runs Minnesota kept doing. LeBron’s free-throw clinic continued as he scored 12 of his 22 points at the free throw line. Anthony Edwards was excelling for the Wolves as well with eight points to give Minnesota the lead by one with the quarter winding down.
The Timberwolves ended the half on a 12-3 scoring run to grab a three-point lead into the break.
Los Angeles did something we are not accustomed to: they started a second half on fire, going on an 11-0 run to retake the lead by eight. Austin’s first points of the game came on a 3-pointer.
Edwards and Jaden McDaniels ended the scoring drought for the Wolves with five points combined. Minnesota did a great job responding to LA’s sudden surge with a 9-2 run. It was a physical game with both teams matching each other’s intensity.
Rui drained his fourth 3-pointer. With over three minutes left in the quarter, Los Angeles was nursing a four-point lead. LA kept their feet on the gas and extended their lead on the shoulders of Rui and Austin, who both shouldered a huge load offensively in the frame. Austin was the fourth player in double digits for the Lakers with 11 points, all that coming in the third
At the end of the third, the purple and gold were up by 10.
Edwards started the final frame strong for the Wolves with six points. Austin converted on another 3-pointer. It was all Edwards pushing his team toward the finish line. LA was starting to struggle with their shots, missing ones they should’ve converted.
Five quick points from Reid cut Minnesota’s deficit to two. It caused Los Angeles to call a timeout. Out of the break, Luka fouled Edwards from behind the arc, he converted on all three free throws to put the Wolves up one.
Rui continued to step up by draining a crucial 3-pointer to put LA up by two. Reid responded with a 3-pointer to put the Timberwolves back up. The Lakers responded with Austin knocking down a 3-pointer. LeBron blocked Donte DiVincenzo, leading to a clutch 3-pointer from Dorian Finney-Smith.
McDaniels was fouled by Austin from behind the arc, and he completed the three-point play. The Lakers looked to have gotten a stop down by one with nine seconds left, but the Wolves won a challenge on the play, leading to two free throws by Ant to put Minnesota up three.
Austin would have a chance to tie the game on a corner 3-pointer, but his shot came up short.
