The Los Angeles Lakers are now on the brink of playoff elimination after surrendering a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter, falling 116–113 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4.
Minnesota’s dramatic comeback was led by a sensational performance from Anthony Edwards, who poured in 43 points—16 of them in a dominant final quarter. Edwards outshined the star duo of LeBron James and Luka Dončić, delivering on both ends of the court with poise and physicality.
The explosive guard knocked down five three-pointers, consistently attacked the rim to earn trips to the free-throw line, distributed the ball with precision, and played ferocious defense—particularly in key matchups against James—to lift the Timberwolves to a commanding 3–1 series lead.
Anthony Edwards once again proved why he’s one of the NBA’s brightest young stars. The 23-year-old, who eliminated the defending champion Denver Nuggets and MVP Nikola Jokić in last year’s playoffs, delivered another powerhouse performance with 43 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and a block. His effort propelled the Timberwolves to a commanding 3–1 series lead as they head back to Los Angeles.
Edwards got key support from Julius Randle, who contributed 25 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and a steal in a gritty all-around showing.
In a bold and unconventional move, Lakers head coach JJ Redick opted to keep the same five players—LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Rui Hachimura—on the floor for the entire second half. According to statistician Keerthika Uthayakumar, it’s the first time in the play-by-play era (since 1996–97) that a team has used only five players for an entire half in a playoff game.
Edwards said he saw an opportunity and made sure to capitalize. “I felt like they were gassed going down the stretch,” he told ESPN. “So I just kept my foot on the pedal and kept going.”
Redick explained after the game that the strategy wasn’t premeditated. “It wasn’t a planned thing,” he said. “I asked them at the beginning of the fourth quarter, told them we had two extra timeouts—if you need a sub, let us know. Those guys gave a lot.”
Despite a strong overall performance, Luka Dončić dismissed fatigue as a factor in the Lakers’ narrow Game 4 loss, insisting postgame that “fatigue shouldn’t play any role.” However, the Slovenian star managed just seven points in the fourth quarter, while LeBron James went scoreless in the final 12 minutes, missing both of his shot attempts.
The Lakers were visibly frustrated by a few key moments down the stretch. One came when Dončić, under intense defensive pressure from Jaden McDaniels, fell to the floor and was forced to call a timeout. Both Dončić and head coach JJ Redick later said they believed he had been tripped, though no foul was called.
Adding to the Lakers’ woes, James misfired on a crucial inbounds pass to Dončić with just 33 seconds left, resulting in a costly turnover. Moments later, with 10 seconds remaining, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch successfully challenged an out-of-bounds call involving Anthony Edwards. The review overturned the call to a foul on James, awarding Edwards two free throws and all but sealing Minnesota’s comeback.
Dončić led the Lakers with 38 points, while James contributed a near triple-double—27 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, three steals, and three blocks. Rui Hachimura added 23 points in a high-effort outing.
The Lakers will now look to stave off elimination in Game 5, set for 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ playoff hopes took a major blow on Sunday, suffering a crushing 129–103 home defeat to the Indiana Pacers—and potentially losing star guard Damian Lillard to injury in the process.
Lillard went down midway through the first quarter while chasing a loose ball, collapsing to the floor without contact and immediately clutching his Achilles area. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers offered a grim update postgame, calling the injury “not very promising.”
With the win, Indiana takes a commanding 3–1 series lead as the series shifts back to Indianapolis, where the Pacers will have a chance to eliminate the Bucks for the second consecutive postseason.
Despite another dominant performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo—who posted 28 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists—the Bucks struggled to find consistent offensive support. Kevin Porter Jr. came off the bench with 23 points, while Bobby Portis added 14, but the absence of Lillard loomed large.
“I’ve seen injuries deflate teams before, but tonight, that one really hurt,” Rivers told the Associated Press. “I thought our guys gave effort, but it was tough. My job over the next 48 hours is to get us upright again, win one in Indiana, and bring it back home.”
The Pacers, by contrast, thrived on balance and depth, with eight players scoring in double figures. Miles Turner led the way with 23 points, and Andrew Nembhard chipped in 20 in a complete team performance.
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