The Minnesota Timberwolves are one win away from advancing in the NBA playoffs after a stunning 116-113 comeback victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of their first-round Western Conference series on Sunday night.
Jaden McDaniels delivered the pivotal moment in the final minute, converting a three-point play with 39.5 seconds left to give the Timberwolves the lead. On the ensuing possession, McDaniels stole the inbounds pass from LeBron James, fueling a rally that flipped the momentum squarely in Minnesota’s favor.
Anthony Edwards once again showed he’s ready for the playoff spotlight, erupting for 43 points — the most by any Timberwolf in this postseason run — and sealing the win with two clutch free throws after drawing a foul on James with just 10 seconds remaining.
The Lakers, facing elimination, still had a chance to tie. With both James and Luka Dončić tightly defended along the perimeter, the ball found Austin Reaves in the corner for a desperate three-point attempt. It rimmed out, silencing the Crypto.com Arena crowd and pushing Los Angeles to the brink.
Julius Randle chipped in 25 points, and McDaniels added a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds for Minnesota, who erased a 12-point deficit late in the third quarter. Despite a 14-0 Lakers run to open the second half, the Timberwolves showed remarkable resilience down the stretch.
Luka Dončić, battling back from a stomach bug that hampered him in Game 3, looked much stronger, scoring 38 points on 13-for-28 shooting. However, he struggled when it mattered most, going just 1-for-6 from the field in the fourth quarter.
LeBron James finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain for the third-most playoff double-doubles in NBA history (144), trailing only Tim Duncan (164) and Magic Johnson (157). James aggressively attacked the paint, going 15-for-18 from the free-throw line, but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter — a critical blow for the Lakers’ offense.
Reaves and Dorian Finney-Smith briefly reignited hope for Los Angeles with back-to-back three-pointers that put the Lakers up with 1:29 remaining. But once again, Minnesota dominated the closing minutes — a recurring theme in this series.
Despite starting the third quarter on fire and energizing the crowd, the Lakers couldn’t maintain the momentum. Head coach J.J. Redick kept the same hot lineup on the floor for the entire third quarter, but the Wolves simply outlasted them. Minnesota has now outscored Los Angeles by a combined 105-69 in fourth quarters throughout the series.
Game 5 shifts back to Minnesota on Wednesday, where the Timberwolves have a golden opportunity to close out the series and send the Lakers into an early offseason.
