The Los Angeles Lakers are in trouble.
The sixth-seeded Timberwolves are just one victory from eliminating the third-seeded Lakers after taking Game 4 116-113 for a 3-1 lead in their first-round Western Conference series.
The Timberwolves overcame a 10-point deficit to start the fourth quarter and relied on strong offensive performances from All-Star guard Anthony Edwards and forward Julius Randle. Edwards had 43 points, nine rebounds and six assists, and Randle scored 25 points.
Minnesota, which reached the conference finals last season, had just enough offense and just enough defense to overcome 27 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists from Lakers star LeBron James and 38 points from star Luka Doncic.
Trailing by 10 to start the fourth quarter and behind 99-90 with 8:26 remaining in the fourth, the Timberwolves outscored the Lakers 26-14 down the stretch.
Jaden McDaniels’ three-point play with 39.5 seconds left put Minnesota ahead 114-113. The Lakers called timeout, but James committed a turnover followed by an Edwards turnover. Minnesota challenged the call, arguing Edwards was fouled before losing possession – and won the challenge, giving Edwards two free throws.
He made both for a 116-113 lead, and Austin Reaves missed a 3-pointer to end the game.
Game 5 is Wednesday in Los Angeles (10 p.m. ET, TNT).
Just 13 teams have come back from a 3-1 deficit, and it hasn’t happened since 2020 when Denver did it twice.
Read what you missed from Game 4 of the Lakers and Timberwolves:
Timberwolves 116, Lakers 113: Highlights
3Q: Lakers 94, Timberwolves 84
The Los Angeles Lakers opened the third quarter with a 14-0 run, grabbed a double-digit lead and ended the third quarter with a 94-84 lead.
The offensive prowess of Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic is just slightly better than the production of Minnesota Timberwolves stars Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle.
Will that hold through the fourth quarter?
Doncic has 31 points, and James has 27 points, 11 rebounds and six assists and is on pace to play 40-plus minutes for the third consecutive game. Rui Hachimura has 20 points for the Lakers.
Edwards has 27 points, five rebounds and four assists, and Randle has 25 for the Timberwolves.
Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert was issued a flagrant foul one for a forearm to the back of James’ head and Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was given a technical foul with 31.8 seconds left in the quarter, helping the Lakers take a 10-point lead.
Halftime: Timberwolves 61, Lakers 58
It was all Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half of Game 4 vs. the Los Angeles Lakers.
It was all LeBron James and Luka Doncic for the Lakers.
And the Timberwolves are up 61-58 at halftime.
Edwards had 19 points, four rebounds and four assists, and Randle scored 21 points in the opening two quarters.
James scored 22 points and delivered seven assists, and Doncic had 21 points in the first half. Lakers forward Rui Hachimura was the only other player in double figures in points with 10.
Midway through the second quarter, James and Doncic had scored 34 of Los Angeles’ 44 points. James, who played 22 of 24 minutes in the first half, also had more than half of his points on free throws, going 12-for-14 from the foul line.
The game has other statistical oddities: Doncic has just one assist and one rebound, and the Lakers have just three points from their bench.
1Q: Lakers 32, Timberwolves 28
Luka Doncic, who was dealing with a stomach illness the past two days, scored 13 points, and LeBron James had nine points, three rebounds and two assists as the Los Angeles Lakers owned a 32-28 lead over Minnesota after the first quarter of Game 4 on Sunday.
The Lakers shot 47.8% from the field but let a 32-22 lead dwindle to a four-point lead to close the quarter.
Julius Randle has a team-high 13 points for the Timberwolves who shot just 34.6% from the field in the opening quarter. Anthony Edwards found scoring late in the quarter and has nine points.
What time is Lakers vs. Timberwolves?
Game 4 of the NBA playoff series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 27 at the Target Center (Minneapolis).
How to watch Lakers vs. Timberwolves game: TV, stream
- Time: 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT
- Location: Target Center (Minneapolis)
- TV: ABC
- Stream: Fubo, YouTube TV
Watch Lakers vs. Timberwolves on Fubo