Timberwolves push Lakers to edge of elimination with 116-113 comeback win behind Edwards’ 43 points
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Jaden McDaniels converted a three-point play with 39.5 seconds left for the lead and stole the ensuing inbounds pass from LeBron James, leading a rally by the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 116-113 win over the Los Angeles Lakers that put them up 3-1 in the first-round series on Sunday.
Anthony Edwards, who had 43 points to lead Minnesota in scoring for the first time in this edition of the NBA playoffs, drew a foul on James during a drive to the lane with 10 seconds left and hit both free throws.
With Luka Doncic and James well-defensed along the arc, the ball went to Austin Reaves in the corner for the tying attempt that rimmed out and was rebounded by McDaniels at the buzzer.
Julius Randle added 25 points and McDaniels had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who trailed by 12 points late in the third quarter.
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Doncic bounced back from a bad stomach bug with 38 points on 13-for-28 shooting, but the Lakers were headed home for a win-or-be-eliminated Game 5 on Wednesday.
Doncic, after fighting the illness and finishing with only 17 points in Game 3, was clearly feeling better after a full day to rest. But he went 1 for 6 in the fourth quarter from the floor.
James had 27 points and 12 rebounds for his 144th career double-double in the playoffs, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain for the third-most in history behind Tim Duncan (164) and Magic Johnson (157). James went 15 for 18 from the free-throw line, determined to get to the rim in what was the best game by the Lakers offense in the series, but he was scoreless in the fourth.
Reaves and Dorian Finney-Smith hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Lakers back in front with 1:29 left, but the Wolves took it from there.
With the arena quieted while the fans filed back into their seats from the break, the Lakers started the third quarter with a 14-0 run. Reaves, who went scoreless in the first half while in foul trouble, got hot. Hachimura did, too, and coach J.J. Redick rode with the same lineup for the entire quarter.
The Wolves picked up two technical fouls during that period, the first on Rudy Gobert for elbowing James in the back of the head during a scrap for a rebound.
But for the second straight game, the home team dominated down the stretch after a pattern of flops in the clutch during the regular season.
