Lakers on the Brink: What Desperation Move Could Save Their Season?

The atmosphere inside the Target Center was electric—though not exactly in the way the Lakers hoped. As they trudged off the floor, heads bowed low, the deafening swirl of white towels spinning through the crowd wasn’t just a celebration of the Timberwolves’ hard-fought 116-113 win on Sunday. It was a vivid spectacle of frustration, a collective sense of revelation shared by all 19,289 fans witnessing yet another Lakers stumble in this first-round playoff series. Four games in, and it’s painfully clear: the Lakers haven’t cracked the code against Minnesota. Anthony Edwards continues to torch their defenses, and the paint? A Timberwolves fortress nearly impenetrable. Offensive rebounds cascade against them relentlessly, and as the series stands at a daunting 3-1 hole, the looming threat of an early exit gnaws with ferocity. Still, shining through the gloom, Luka Doncic returned from a bout of sickness to spearhead a 38-point charge, and LeBron James left no stone unturned, compiling a near triple-double. Yet, none of it was enough. The cracks are widening, and Coach JJ Redick faces a grim reality with little in his toolbox to swing momentum. If the Lakers hope to survive, the answers have to come—fast. LEARN MOREThe Lakers’ desperation was perhaps best represented by Redick’s second-half substitutions: There weren’t any.AdvertisementThis story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

AdvertisementThey did in the opening quarter what Redick implored them to do, which was to take better care of the basketball.AdvertisementThe Lakers opened the second half with a 14-0 run, with a three-pointer by Reaves extending their lead to 72-61. They were ahead by as many as 12 points, only for the Timberwolves to do against them what they have done the entire series.“Those guys,” Redick said, “gave a lot.”“We just made a decision at halftime,” Redick said.