The Minnesota Timberwolves are one win away from sending LeBron James and the Lakers home for the summer.
Minnesota leads the first-round playoff series 3-1 heading into Wednesday night’s crucial Game 5 showdown at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Lakers are 5.5-point favorites despite being on the brink of elimination.
Anthony Edwards exploded for 43 points in Game 4, including 16 in the fourth quarter alone, to power the Wolves to a dramatic 116-113 comeback victory.
“There wasn’t any panic,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said after his team erased a 12-point deficit. “It’s been a hallmark of this team in the second half of the season… The guys always have a belief they can come back.”
The Lakers now face a do-or-die situation.
Luka Doncic bounced back from illness to score 38 points in Game 4, while LeBron James added 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists. But it wasn’t enough to stop Minnesota’s fourth-quarter surge, where they outscored Los Angeles 32-19.
“Obviously, you don’t think about winning three, you think about just getting the next one,” James said. “That’s the only thing that matters because if not, obviously, the offseason [begins].”
The Timberwolves are red-hot, winning 13 of their last 15 games in April.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are 13-4 in their last 17 home games but have struggled against Minnesota recently, going just 2-5 in their past seven matchups.
Minnesota will be without point guard Rob Dillingham (ankle), while Lakers forward Maxi Kleber is questionable with a foot injury.
The game tips off at 10 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on TNT and truTV.
Despite being on the road, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives the Lakers a 61.3% chance of extending the series with a Game 5 win.
Can LeBron and the Lakers keep their season alive, or will Edwards and the Wolves complete the upset? We’ll find out Wednesday night.
