NBA Playoffs Western Conference first round G4 was fiercely launched in Minnesota, Los Angeles Lakers challenged Minnesota Timberwolves away.
At the beginning, Randle showed his strength, cutting into the Lakers defense and scoring 7 points in a row. Then the Lakers cooperated well inside and outside, and scored multiple points. Doncic led the team to a double-digit lead with accurate shooting and flexible positioning. Edwards kept chasing the Lakers with tough breakthroughs and stable free throws, and the Lakers led 32-28 in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, James took the lead in the offense and scored steadily with free throws. Edwards led the Timberwolves to a 9-0 attack wave to overtake the score. Although the Lakers tried their best to catch up, they still trailed 58-61 at the end of the half.
In the second half, the Lakers adjusted their tactics, shot multiple three-pointers, and scored 11-0 climax to regain the lead. The Timberwolves relied on their inside and outside advantages to hold on to the score. Hachimura and Reeves stepped up and worked together to establish a double-digit advantage for the Lakers again. In the final quarter, Edwards was on fire, scoring 11 points in 4 minutes, and Reed also scored continuously. The scores of both sides rose alternately. In the final moments, Reeves's three-pointer missed, and the Timberwolves won 116-113.
Lakers data, James 27 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists; Hachimura contributed 23 points and 5 rebounds; Doncic scored 38 points, 1 rebound and 2 assists. The main reason is that the Lakers are lower than the Timberwolves in rebounds and inside scoring.