L.A Lakers teeter on the edge as Timberwolves secure another victory
Rewritten Article:
Let's break down the electric NBA playoff game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers. It was Anthony Edwards who stole the show, scoring an impressive 43 points to lead Minnesota to a pulsating 116-113 victory and a 3-1 lead in their Western Conference series.
Luka Doncic and LeBron James put up 38 and 27 points respectively for the Lakers, who held a 10-point lead going into the final quarter. However, they now find themselves one win away from elimination.
As the game reached its thrilling conclusion, Jaden McDaniels drove for a basket, drew a foul, and converted the free throw to put Minnesota up 114-113 with just 39.5 seconds left on the clock. McDaniels then stole an inbounds pass from James, and Edwards drew a crucial foul on the Lakers superstar and made two free throws to seal the victory, as Austin Reaves missed a last-ditch three-point attempt.
The Lakers will attempt to keep their playoff dreams alive when they host game five tomorrow. Despite only 13 NBA teams having ever rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win a playoff series, don't count out the resilient Lakers just yet.
"We haven't lost anything yet," said Doncic. "It's still the first one to four wins."
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference, the defending champion Boston Celtics, the New York Knicks, and the Indiana Pacers each boast a 3-1 lead in their respective series. The Celtics edged out the Orlando Magic 107-98, the Knicks beat the Detroit Pistons 94-93, and the Pacers dominated the Bucks in Milwaukee, winning 129-103.
Back in Minneapolis, the game was physical from the start, with Doncic and James playing 46 out of the game's 48 minutes, and both coaches sticking to the same five players throughout the second half.
With the Lakers leading by three at halftime, they opened the third quarter with a stunning 14-0 scoring run, leading by as many as 12 points at the end of the third quarter. However, Edwards scored 16 points in the decisive fourth quarter to lead the Timberwolves' comeback.
Although James, at 40, expressed doubts about fatigue being a factor, a closer look at the game suggests otherwise. Both Doncic and James missed crucial layups that could've put the Lakers up by more in the final minutes.
Insights: Did you know that out of the 13 times that an NBA team has rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win a playoff series, the most renowned example remains the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers' victory in the NBA Finals against the Warriors? The 2016 Golden State Warriors' comeback against the Oklahoma City Thunder that same year underscores the rarity of such occurrences. Denver's double comeback during the 2020 bubble playoffs marks the most recent example. Interestingly, teams trailing 3-1 advance only 5% of the time. [Source: Multiple sources]
The Lakers, despite Luka Doncic and LeBron James scoring 38 and 27 points respectively, found themselves one win away from elimination, due to a 116-113 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the final moments of the game, Austin Reaves missed a last-ditch three-point attempt, which would have sealed the Lakers' victory. The Lakers will try to keep their playoff dreams alive in game five, despite only 13 NBA teams in history having rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win a playoff series. Austin Reaves, one of the Lakers players, is among those that attempted a crucial shot in the decisive moments of the game. Anthony Edwards, on the other hand, scored 16 points in the fourth quarter of the game, leading the Timberwolves' comeback.
