MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves have found a new gear after a regular season of fits and starts.
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 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.
Julius Randle added 25 points and McDaniels had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Wolves, who trailed by 12 late in the third quarter.
“It’s been a hallmark of this team in the second half of the season: There’s been no panic,” said Wolves coach Chris Finch.
Doncic bounced back from a stomach bug with 38 points on 13-for-28 shooting, but the Lakers headed home for a win-or-be-eliminated Game 5 on Wednesday.
“It’s going to be even harder to get the next one, so we’re going to have to fight through a lot,” Randle said, “but like we’ve done all year, we’ve got to rely on each other, play for one another, and we genuinely feel like if we do that, we give ourselves the best chance to win.”
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 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.
But for the second straight game, the home team dominated down the stretch to continue a timely reversal of their regular season trend. The Wolves have outscored the Lakers in the fourth quarter of every game by a total of 105-69.
“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.”
*Associated Press
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