LeBron James scores 38 but the LA Lakers fall to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of their first-round, Western Conference NBA playoff series.
Jaden McDaniels scored 30 points, Anthony Edwards had 29, and the Minnesota Timberwolves finished strong for a 116-104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series in Minneapolis.
Julius Randle added 22 points for Minnesota, which took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo came off the bench to chip in 11 and 10 points, respectively.
LeBron James netted a game-high 38 points on 13-for-21 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Los Angeles on Friday night. Austin Reaves scored 20 points, thanks largely to five 3-pointers, and Luka Doncic scored 17 points but made only 6 of 16 shots from the field and 2 of 8 from 3-point range. Doncic also had five of Los Angeles’ 19 turnovers but contributed eight assists and seven rebounds.
The Timberwolves outscored the Lakers 62-46 in the second half.
Doncic drove towards the rim and made a step-back jumper to even the score at 103-103 with 4:37 to go in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles had trailed 100-93 after Reid knocked down a 3-pointer with 7:31 remaining.
The Timberwolves built their lead back to seven points in the next couple of minutes.
Edwards put Minnesota back on top 106-103 with a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 4:19 to go. Reid followed with a 3-pointer from the left wing to make it 109-103.
After Reaves made one of two free throws to cut the deficit to 109-104, Edwards took control again. He drove against James and finished with a layup to increase the Timberwolves’ lead to 111-104 with 2:18 remaining.
Edwards then set the home crowd into hysterics when he dribbled between his legs and stepped back for a long triple to make it 113-104 with 1:06 left.
Rui Hachimura missed a 3-pointer on the opposite end for the Lakers, and McDaniels added to the late surge with a 3-pointer from the right corner to make it 116-104 with 39.1 seconds left.
The Timberwolves led 86-84 at the end of the third quarter.
An 8-0 run early in the third quarter allowed Minnesota to overtake the Lakers. Edwards and Randle hit back-to-back 3-pointers to punctuate the run, which ended when James scored on an alley-oop dunk to pull Los Angeles within 67-65.
Edwards provided a highlight-reel play to give the Timberwolves a 76-72 edge with 4:39 left in the third quarter. He drove the baseline and soared past a leaping Doncic for a dunk.
The Lakers led 58-54 at the half.
Game 4 is in Minneapolis on Sunday afternoon.
In two earlier playoff games played on Friday, Gary Trent Jr and Giannis Antetokounmpo each scored 37 points while leading the Bucks to a 117-101 comeback victory over the visiting Indiana Pacers, cutting Milwaukee’s deficit in the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series to 2-1.
Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday in Milwaukee.
In Florida, Franz Wagner broke a late tie with consecutive driving hoops over Kristaps Porzingis, and the Orlando Magic, riding a suffocating defence and surviving a wild finish, held off the visiting Boston Celtics 95-93 in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
Wagner finished with a team-high 32 points and Paolo Banchero 29 for the Magic, who held serve at home after losing the first two games of the best-of-seven series in Boston. Game 4 also will be played at Orlando on Sunday.
