After dropping back-to-back games on the road, the Los Angeles Lakers found themselves on the brink of elimination with a 3-1 series deficit against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The series shifted back to Crypto.com Arena for Game 5 on Wednesday night as the Lakers looked to keep their season alive. They were unable to do so, however, as the Lakers struggled in the fourth quarter once again to suffer a 103-96 loss.
JJ Redick made a starting lineup change, inserting Dorian Finney-Smith for Jaxson Hayes and going with the small-ball lineup that played the entire second half of Game 4. It was the Timberwolves that jumped out to a 6-0 start though before Luka Doncic got the Lakers on the board with some free throws.
The Lakers lacked energy early and were getting killed on the offensive glass, but Rui Hachimura gave them some life with a dunk on Rudy Gobert, a steal and a layup.
Donte DiVincenzo and Nickiel Alexander-Walker came off the bench and connected from deep to give Minnesota a double-digit lead.
Needing a spark, JJ Redick went to Maxi Kleber late in the first quarter in his first game back after missing three months with a foot injury. He quickly got to the free throw line and made a pair for his first points in purple and gold. It was still a lackluster first quarter for the Lakers, who went into the second trailing 31-22.
LeBron James and Austin Reaves had back-to-back buckets to start the second as L.A. looked to cut into its deficit. With both Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels in foul trouble though, Anthony Edwards went into attack mode to keep his team in front.
On a drive to the basket late in the half, Doncic was fouled hard by DiVincenzo. He made the free throws but then immediately needed to come out of the game, holding his back. The Lakers weren’t able to make any sort of sustained run and went into the halftime locker room trailing 59-49.
Doncic was able to return for the start of the third quarter and made his first triple to cut the deficit to six. He and Hachimura continued to carry the Lakers’ offense, while the Timberwolves remained ice cold from 3. After Finney-Smith hit one from deep, L.A. took its first lead at 78-77.
The Timberwolves regained the lead going into the fourth quarter, but Reaves finally broke through after struggling for most of the night to take it right back.
Given the Lakers’ lack of size, Gobert was killing them on the offense glass to keep his team in it.
The game remained close going into the final minutes but as was the case in Games 3 and 4, the Lakers couldn’t do anything offensively and the Timberwolves closed out the series.
What’s next for the Lakers
With the Lakers’ season coming to a disappointing end, they enter the offseason with a lot of holes that will need to be addressed if they want to get back in the championship mix going forward.
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