Lakers very close to elimination from the Play-Offs, suffer third loss to Minnesota

The Los Angeles Lakers are about to be eliminated in the first round of the NBA Play-Offs after being defeated by the Minnesota Timberwolves with a score of 116:113.

Lakers coach JJ Redick decided not to make any substitutions in the second half, and Dorian Finney-Smith, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura played all of the minutes in the third and fourth quarters. According to records dating back to 1997, he is the first coach to make such a move in the playoffs.

Midway through the final quarter, the Lakers led by ten points, but Minnesota managed to turn the game around.

Doncic and LeBron scored 65 points together, but even that didn't help the Lakers. Doncic scored 38 points, while LeBron finished the game with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists, and after the game, the Lakers players publicly emphasized that the referees had robbed them and favored Minnesota to win.

With 33 seconds left in the game, with Minnesota leading 114-113, Doncic was in a duel with Jaden McDaniels, who hit him. The Slovenian fell to the ground, but the referees did not want to call a foul and Luka had to call a timeout.

"McDaniels fouled Luka. It was very clear. Nobody's going to fall like that. We reviewed the situation and we're confident he fouled him and we should have had two free throws," Lakers coach JJ Redick said after the game.

However, the Lakers claim that the referees' bad decisions didn't end there. With the score tied with 10.1 seconds left in the game, LeBron was in a duel with Minnesota's best player, Anthony Edwards, who he stripped of the ball and then awarded to the Lakers.

However, from the Minnesota bench, they asked to check the tape and then the referees awarded two free throws to Edwards, who hit and scored the 42nd and 43rd points in the game for the final 116:113.

LeBron noted that he hit Edwards in the hand, but that it was allowed because the Minnesota player had placed his hand on top of the ball.

"This happens all the time. The hand is part of the ball, that's what they say. I hit his hand that was on the ball. The ball fell off him and went out of bounds. I've watched the video a few times and that's it," LeBron said in disappointment.

Minnesota recorded its third win and now leads 3-1, meaning the Lakers are just one loss away from being eliminated from the playoffs.

Also facing elimination are Detroit, Orlando and Milwaukee, who also suffered defeats last night and are trailing 3-1 in the series against New York, Boston and Indiana.