The Lakers guard has bold statement after dropping 3-1 in the first round series
The Los Angeles Lakers are on the brink of elimination. After dropping two games on the road, Games 3 and 4, the Lakers are one loss away from their 2024-25 season being on the back burner.
The Lakers suffered a tough Game 4 loss after being up by as many as 12 points in the game and as much as 10 points entering the fourth quarter. L.A. failed to execute on both sides of the floor, and the theme of being outplayed in the fourth quarter reared its ugly head on Sunday in a must-win situation for L.A.
The Lakers will now look to do the impossible and win three consecutive games in a row to keep their season alive. It will be an uphill battle, but Lakers superstar guard Luka Doncic is surprisingly optimistic.
The 26-year-old shared his thoughts on facing a 3-1 deficit against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“It’s a fun challenge,” said Doncic.
The five-time All-Star did his part and then some on Sunday. After being limited on Friday due to a stomach bug, Doncic looked and played much better on Sunday. Unfortunately, it was not enough to leave this team to victory.
In the loss, Doncic recorded a team-high 38 points on 13-of-28 shooting from the field, one rebound, two assists, one steal, and one block in 46 minutes of action.
Doncic, along with LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Rui Hachimura, played the entire second half. The Lakers made no substitutions, which may have led to their lack of execution in the fourth quarter.
Still, head coach JJ Redick put his trust in those five players on the floor, and that trust isn’t expected to waver, regardless of how long this series — or the Lakers’ playoff run — lasts.
Doncic and the Lakers will have the toughest battle of their season. It will all start on Wednesday when the Lakers will look to extend the series and head back to the Midwest for a potential Game 6.
Minnesota has created plenty of problems for the Lakers, exposing their lack of physicality — particularly in the frontcourt. L.A.’s shortage of size has been a major issue, and whether they manage to pull off a miracle or not, it’s clear that shoring up that area will be a top priority this offseason.