Introduction to the NBA Playoffs
Value each possession. Move with purpose and speed over every inch of the court. Make the right pass. Hit the big shot. Do the right thing. These are the demands that must be met to win in the playoffs, and when you’re on the road in a building pulsating with energy such as the Timberwolves’ arena, the demands only intensify.
The Importance of Meeting Demands
Every turnover can spark a highlight. Every missed rebound can reenergize. Every wrong step is one closer to the end of the season. So you meet these moments with your best players, counting on them to make the biggest plays in the most stressful moments. And Lakers coach JJ Redick met that moment by going all-in.
The Hand Redick Played
But the hand Redick played Sunday, which looked strong with the Lakers leading by seven with five minutes left, fell apart when it mattered most, with Minnesota stunning the Lakers in a 116-113 win to take a 3-1 series lead. The Lakers took the court to start the second half with Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith. They played the entire third quarter, and then to start the fourth, all five returned to the court.
Failure to Maintain the Lead
They were unable to maintain the Lakers’ 10-point lead. Now the team is potentially 48 minutes away from its season ending. “This is not done yet,” Hachimura said. But it’s close. Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards puts up a shot in Game 4 on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Dominated in the Final Minutes
For the second game in a row, the Lakers were dominated over the final five minutes. In Game 3, they lost by 12 after being tied with 4 minutes and 37 seconds left to play. Sunday, they were up by seven with five minutes to go. “I think once you’ve kind of made that decision, and they all are in, you just gotta trust them,” Redick said of the decision not to substitute. It’s impossible to know if the heavy legs mattered when Reaves missed wide-open three-point attempts.
Fatigue and Stress
It’s impossible to know if fatigue was the difference in clean looks at the rim for Doncic and James that both didn’t go down. And no one can know if the stress of having to dance with Anthony Edwards on the perimeter dribble after dribble, fake after fake, caused cracks in the Lakers’ defense to be exposed too much. “I mean, it was tough,” Finney-Smith said. “But it’s the playoffs. Don’t think nobody wanted to come out.”
Critical Moments
And no one can know for sure if 22 seasons in the NBA prevented the 40-year-old James from connecting with Doncic on an inbound pass in the final 30 seconds, robbing the Lakers of a massive possession down one point. Lakers forward LeBron James, top, fouls Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards in the final seconds of Game 4 on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Disputed Calls
The inbounds play was triggered by the Lakers calling timeout, the team believing Doncic was clearly tripped as he fell to the court and signaled for the stoppage. “Well, let’s just start with Luka got tripped. I mean, that was a blatant trip,” Redick said. “He doesn’t just fall on his own. We rewatched it. He gets tripped. So we should have been at the free-throw line.” James appeared to get one key stop late, stripping Edwards with 10 seconds left, but officials ruled James committed a foul and Edwards made a pair of free throws to provide the final margin of victory.
Player Performance
Doncic, who played with a stomach bug in Game 3, looked far more like himself in Game 4. He began by attacking the basket, getting into the paint and finishing around the rim. He stretched the defense back beyond the three-point line, answering Minnesota jumpers with shots of his own, motioning for the crowd to calm down twice during the second quarter. James, who scored 38 in Game 3 to keep the Lakers close, was wildly efficient, using quickness and strength to get advantages against Minnesota’s excellent defense.
Conclusion
The Lakers still made plays down the stretch, Reaves hitting a big three. James coming up with a pair of massive defensive stops and Finney-Smith hitting a go-ahead three. Hachimura, finishing with 23 points while wearing a protective face mask after getting hit in the nose in Game 2, hit big shots and fought on so many key possessions as the Lakers built their lead. And even after foul trouble limited Reaves to a scoreless first half, he made five threes and finished with 17 points. However, he missed a three-pointer at the final buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime. “If I’m put in that situation again, I’m gonna shoot it again and I have confidence in myself to make it,” Reaves said. “I just didn’t make that one.”
FAQs
Q: What is the current series lead in the playoffs?
A: Minnesota is leading the series 3-1.
Q: Who was the top performer for the Lakers in Game 4?
A: LeBron James and Luka Doncic were key players, but Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura also made significant contributions.
Q: What was the final score of Game 4?
A: The final score was 116-113 in favor of Minnesota.
Q: What is the Lakers’ outlook for the rest of the series?
A: The Lakers are on the brink of elimination, needing to win the next three games to advance.
