Luka Doncic’s illness and Finney‑Smith’s heroics couldn’t stop Lakers’ playoff collapse
The Lakers fell 116‑113 to the Timberwolves in Game 4 as Luka Dončić, playing through a stomach bug, scored 38 while Dorian Finney‑Smith hit key threes, but Minnesota’s fourth‑quarter surge sealed the loss.
Key points
- Lakers lost Game 4 116‑113, putting them on the brink of elimination.
- Dončić scored 38 after a 17‑point game the night before, despite a stomach bug.
- Finney‑Smith hit back‑to‑back threes to give L.A. a brief lead with 1: left.
- Anthony Edwards scored 43 as Minnesota rallied in the fourth quarter.
- LeBron James posted 27 points and 12 rebounds, but went scoreless in the final quarter.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff hopes now hang by a thread after a 116-113 Game 4 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, despite Luka Dončić’s 38-point resurgence and Dorian Finney-Smith’s clutch shooting. Dončić, battling a stomach bug that limited him to 17 points in Game 3, exploded for 13-of-28 shooting but faltered late (1-of-6 in the fourth) Finney-Smith drained critical back-to-back threes to give the Lakers a brief lead with 1: left, but Anthony Edwards’ 43-point explosion sealed Minnesota’s comeback
LeBron James delivered 27 points and 12 rebounds, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain for third-most playoff double-doubles in NBA history, yet went scoreless in the final quarter as the Wolves dominated late (outscoring L.A. 105-69 in fourth quarters this series) Finney-Smith praised Dončić’s toughness post-Game 3, noting he played through vomiting and a swollen elbow: “He’s just a tough guy… He’ll be ready next game”
The Lakers face elimination in Wednesday’s Game 5, needing to solve Minnesota’s fourth-quarter dominance. Can Dončić and Finney-Smith spark a survival bid, or will Edwards’ ascent end their season?
Your questions, answered
What was the final score of Game 4 between the Lakers and Timberwolves?
The Lakers lost to the Timberwolves 116‑113 in Game 4.
How many points did Luka Dončić score in Game 4?
Dončić scored 38 points in the game.
Which Timberwolves player led the comeback with 43 points?
Anthony Edwards scored 43 points for Minnesota.
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