Anthony Edwards went 0-for-11 from three-point vary, the Minnesota Timberwolves missed 40 threes and Jaden McDaniels fouled out in 18 minutes. However after one other spectacular fourth quarter, they eradicated the Los Angeles Lakers anyway.
Rudy Gobert had a large sport, scoring 27 factors, grabbing 24 rebounds and blocking two pictures. It was a validating sport for the French heart who has typically been a playoff scapegoat, however dominated the paint Wednesday evening in a sport the place his Timberwolves shot 7-for-47 from three-point vary and 40.4 % total.
It helped that rookie head coach JJ Redick made extra questionable decisions. His workforce obtained crushed by Gobert, obtained out-rebounded, 54-37 and noticed the Wolves shoot 69 % on two-pointers, but Redick caught with small ball lineups all through. The exception was 5 minutes for Maxi Kleber, who hadn’t performed since January, when he was nonetheless a member of the Dallas Mavericks.
The Lakers performed the Timberwolves tight all the identical, limiting their taking pictures if not their rebounding. LeBron James and Luka Doncic obtained McDaniels to foul out in simply 18 minutes. On an evening the place he was visibly bothered by a sore again, Doncic had 28 factors, 9 assists and 7 rebounds, with solely two turnovers.
James completed with 22 factors, seven rebounds and 6 assists. He solely made one three, but it surely was an enormous one, slicing the Lakers’ deficit to 2 factors with three minutes to go.
Edwards had a tough taking pictures evening however compensated in different methods. The Lakers typically despatched two defenders at Edwards, and he normally made the proper go, ending with eight assists and nil turnovers. Edwards shot 5-of-19, however hustled his strategy to 15 factors, 11 rebounds and three steals, not daunted by his taking pictures frustrations.
However maybe because of their lack of depth, the youth of the Timberwolves or the easy proven fact that James is 40 years outdated (and Redick did not sub within the second half of sport 4), Minnesota closed out each fourth quarter stronger than Los Angeles.
In Recreation 5, the Wolves outscored the Lakers, 22-16. In Recreation 4, it was 32-19. In Recreation 3, 30-20. For the sequence as an entire, Minnesota outscored the Lakers 127-85 within the fourth quarter. Within the different three quarters, it was 417-410, in favor of the Lakers. The Timberwolves had been simply extra clutch, or the Lakers had been merely extra fatigued.
The Lakers can have all summer time to relaxation as they determine their future round Doncic (who can signal an extension this summer time) and James, who has a participant possibility however doesn’t appear inclined to depart. A primary-round exit was the most probably end result for the Lakers earlier than the Doncic commerce, however including a second famous person raised expectations. They will not get an opportunity to satisfy these for one more yr.
