Timberwolves outlast Lakers behind 43-point game from Anthony Edwards, take 3-1 series lead

J.J. Redick showed you how important this game was — he played his core five the entire second half. Not one sub (Jaxson Hayes started the game at the 5, but it was Dorian Finney-Smith for the entire second half).

In some ways, that was the difference. While the Lakers looked gassed down the stretch — Minnesota won the fourth quarter 32-19 in part because of that — the Timberwolves had bench players Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo on the court, making clutch plays in the final minutes.

In a more important way, the difference on Sunday was Anthony Edwards — 43 points for the game, 16 in the fourth quarter as he took over when it mattered and out-dueled Luka Doncic down the stretch.

Behind Edwards, the Timberwolves beat the Lakers 116-113. Minnesota now leads the series 3-1 as it heads back to Los Angeles on Wednesday for a must-win game for Los Angeles.

The Lakers are a top-heavy team and the top of that roster did its part. Luka Doncic scored 38 and was good about making the pass when the Timberwolves were doubling and trapping him at the halfcourt line. LeBron James had 27 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, and in the clutch of the game had a block and a steal that mattered. Rui Hachimura scored 23 and Austin Reaves 17 (although he missed a clean look at a game-tying three at the buzzer).

The rest of the Lakers had eight points on 3-of-13 shooting. That lack of depth hurt.

The Lakers were helped out by hitting 19-of-47 from 3-point range (40.4%), but that was the only major category they seemed to win. The Timberwolves won the bench points battle 25-6, outscored the Lakers 48-30 in the paint, and won the rebound battle (49-41).

Julius Randle had one of the best all-around games of his career and finished with 25 points and seven rebounds. Jaden McDaniels had 16 points, 11 rebounds and played fantastic defense. Naz Reid had a dozen points off the bench.

The Lakers now have to beat the Timberwolves three straight games, starting at home on Wednesday night, or they will be on vacation far earlier than planned for a 50-win team with superstars like LeBron and Doncic, but that’s the West, where the gap between seeds two and eight was always paper-thin.