Los Angeles Lakers Face Crucial Game 4 Against Minnesota Timberwolves
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The Los Angeles Lakers are set to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4 of their first-round matchup on Sunday afternoon, with the series currently favouring the Timberwolves 2-1. According to a report by SI.com, the Lakers will be looking to tie the series up at two games apiece.
In Game 3, the Timberwolves secured a 116-104 victory, with Lakers star LeBron James leading all scorers with 38 points in the loss. The 40-year-old James also played a team-high 41 minutes and carried most of the offensive load, with teammate Luka Doncic dealing with a stomach ailment.
ESPN star and former New Orleans Pelicans centre Kendrick Perkins believes that the Lakers will be at a disadvantage in Game 4 due to the early start time. As quoted by SI.com, Perkins said, “An early afternoon game on Sunday favors the Timberwolves, especially with the amount of work a senior citizen like LeBron James had to put in tonight.”
Perkins made the comments on SportsCenter after Game 3, with Sunday’s start time for Game 4 scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CST. The Lakers will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing performance in Game 3, where they struggled with turnovers, committing 19 in the game. The Timberwolves capitalised on these mistakes, recording ten steals and keeping pressure on the Lakers’ offence.
Doncic is not listed on the injury report for Game 4, so it is expected that the 5x all-star will carry most of the offensive burden for Los Angeles. James, speaking after Game 3, acknowledged that the Lakers’ mistakes had cost them the game. “In the postseason, obviously you’re not gonna play a perfect game,” he said. “But the more that you make mistakes on top of mistakes on top of mistakes, things that can be controlled, then it’s not gonna give you an opportunity to be in the best possible chance to win.”
If the Lakers win on Sunday, they will recapture home-court advantage for the remainder of the series. The team will be looking to bounce back from a tough loss in Game 3 and even the series up at 2-2. With James and Doncic leading the charge, the Lakers will be confident of securing a crucial win.
The Lakers’ performance in Game 4 will be crucial in determining the outcome of the series. As reported by SI.com, Perkins’ comments highlight the challenges that the Lakers will face in Game 4. The team’s ability to adapt to the early start time and minimise their mistakes will be key to securing a win.
The series has been closely contested so far, with both teams showing a high level of determination and skill. As the series continues, fans can expect to see more thrilling matchups between the Lakers and the Timberwolves. With the Lakers looking to bounce back from a tough loss, Game 4 promises to be an exciting and closely contested matchup.
Source: SI.com
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