Lakers head coach JJ Redick watches from the sidelines during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis. Redick said he didn’t regret the decision to stick with the same five players for the entire second half. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards works toward the basket as Lakers guard Jordan Goodwin (30), forward LeBron James (23) and guard Luka Doncic, right, defend during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes goes up for a dunk during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards shoots over Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle celebrates after a dunk during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Lakers on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic gestures after making a 3-point shot during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Lakers star Luka Doncic shows his frustration after a foul call during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis. Doncic had 38 points but the Lakers lost, 116-113, and trail 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Lakers forward LeBron James handles the ball as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards defends during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards celebrates after a shot made by forward Julius Randle during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Lakers on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, right, and Lakers forward LeBron James chase after a loose ball during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, top, and Lakers forward LeBron James (23) collide while trying to gain possession of the ball during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, right, sits on the court after colliding with Lakers forward LeBron James as they chased after a loose ball during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, bottom, during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle reacts after missing a shot during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Lakers on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates next to Lakers forward LeBron James after making a 3-point shot during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels drives to the basket as Lakers star LeBron James defends during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic gestures next to Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid (11) after making a 3-point shot during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates after making a 3-point shot during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Lakers on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic shoots as Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels defends during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, left, celebrates next to Lakers guard Austin Reaves after making a shot during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards goes up to shoot as Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith, center left, defends during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, shoots as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards defends during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid, right, celebrates with guard Anthony Edwards after making a 3-point shot during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Lakers on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Lakers forward LeBron James (23) blocks a shot by Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Lakers star Lebron James reacts after a call by a referee during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Lakers star Lebron James reacts after a call by a referee during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis. James had 27 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and three steals, but the Lakers lost, 116-113, and trail the best-of-seven series, 3-1. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) shoots as Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) defends during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates after making a 3-point shot during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Lakers on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Lakers head coach JJ Redick looks on from the sidelines during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid shoots over Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards celebrates after making a 3-point shot during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Lakers on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) stands on the court during the second half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
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Lakers head coach JJ Redick watches from the sidelines during the first half of Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis. Redick said he didn’t regret the decision to stick with the same five players for the entire second half. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
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MINNEAPOLIS — After letting Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves slip through their collective fingers on Friday night, nobody on the Lakers publicly referred to Sunday afternoon’s Game 4 as a “must-win” matchup.
But their actions, and specifically how Coach JJ Redick handled the team’s second-half rotation, said more than any words could.
Looking to prevent his team from going back to Southern California down 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, Redick played his best statistical lineup from the regular season for the entire second half: Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura and LeBron James.
And the tactic nearly paid off, but the Lakers paid for multiple late-game mistakes, leading to them blowing a double-digit fourth-quarter lead and falling to the Timberwolves, 116-113, at Target Center. Reaves’ potential game-tying corner 3-pointer with one second left hit the front of the rim before hitting the backboard and popping back out.
“Certainly played well enough to win,” Redick said. “And we gave the effort to win.”
Game 5 is on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena, with the Lakers now facing three must-win games in a row to extend their season.
“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]. It’s all about Wednesday. That’s what’s important.”
Doncic bounced back from the stomach bug that affected him in Game 3 and led the Lakers with 38 points on 13-of-28 shooting. James finished with 27 points (going 15 for 18 at the free-throw line), 12 rebounds and eight assists. Hachimura added 23 points, while Reaves scored all 17 of his points in the second half (five 3-pointers).
The Lakers led 94-84 going into the fourth after their best lineup led the team to its best offensive quarter of the series, outscoring the Timberwolves 36-23 in the third as they spread out Minnesota’s defense and took advantage of them hedging/blitzing Doncic-led pick-and-rolls.
They made seven of their 14 3-point attempts in the third, with many of them being wide-open.
“We gotta continue to work our game,” James said. “We got to some really good actions [on Sunday], was able to get some really good looks, especially in that third quarter. Every game can be different. What we [were] able to find in [Sunday’s] game doesn’t mean it’s gonna be available on Wednesday.
“They’re gonna make adjustments. We’re gonna make some adjustments. You gotta play the game and not predetermined the game. So will see what happens.”
But whether it was heavy legs or improved defensive tactics from Minnesota with the Timberwolves switching more frequently and not blitzing/double-teaming as much, the shots the Lakers made in the third didn’t fall at the same rate in the fourth, helping the Timberwolves take a 105-104 lead after Anthony Edwards made three free throws with just under four minutes remaining.
Minnesota’s lead grew to 111-107 with just over two minutes left after Donte DiVincenzo converted a three-point play.
The Lakers got a big sequence from Reaves to regain the lead: he made a 3-pointer to cut the Lakers’ deficit to 111-110; James then blocked a DiVincenzo shot at the rim on Minnesota’s ensuring possession, with Reaves assisting Finney-Smith on a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer in transition to put the Lakers ahead 113-111 with 1:29 left.
But Reaves fouled Jaden McDaniels on his dunk with 40 seconds left, and McDaniels made the free throw to give Minnesota a 114-113 lead.
The Lakers had to use one of their final two timeouts with 33 seconds left after McDaniels tripped Doncic as the 26-year-old Slovenian star was bringing the ball up the court. No foul was called, preventing Doncic from heading to the free-throw line for a pair of shots with his team down by one.
“I got tripped, for sure,” Doncic said. “So we had to call timeout.”
And after turning the ball over on an inbounds pass, James was assessed a defensive foul against Edwards that was originally ruled the Lakers’ ball but was changed after Minnesota challenged the play.
“That play happens all the time,” James said. “Hand is part of the ball. That’s what they said. I feel like the hand was a part of that ball. I was able to get his hand on top of the ball. The ball stripped out and (went) out (of bounds) on him. Seen that play over and over before, but it is what it is.”
Edwards made a pair of free throws to put the Timberwolves up by three with 10 seconds left.
With Doncic and James well-defensed along the arc on the final possession, the ball went to Reaves in the corner and McDaniels grabbed the rebound when it rimmed out at the buzzer.
“Once I shot it, it felt good,” Reaves said. “Had to get it off kind of quick. Didn’t exactly know where the game clock stood. Good pass. If I’m put in that situation again, I’m gonna shoot it again and I have confidence in myself to make it. I just didn’t make that one.”
Edwards finished with a game-high 43 points. Julius Randle added 25 points, while McDaniels had 16 points and 11 rebounds as Minnesota outscored the Lakers 32-19 in the fourth.
The Lakers jumped out to a 32-28 lead behind another strong start from Doncic, who scored 13 first-quarter points and said he was feeling better on Sunday.
Minnesota found its offensive rhythm in the second quarter, but James kept the Lakers in the game with his aggressiveness getting downhill, leading to 10 free-throw attempts in the second (making eight). He had half of the Lakers’ 26 points in the quarter, helping them trail by only three after Randle knocked down a pull-up 3-pointer to give the Timberwolves a 61-58 advantage going into halftime.
Doncic, who led the Dallas Mavericks past the Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals last year, believes this series is far from over.
“We haven’t lost nothing yet,” Doncic said. “It’s still the first one to four wins, and we’ve just got to still to believe.”
