The LA Lakers endured a 113-116 loss in Game 4 of their first round playoff matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Despite taking a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, the LA Lakers failed to take a clutch shot, which gave the Minnesota Timberwolves a 3-1 lead in the series.
LeBron James and Luka Donsic played big games again as the duo combined scored 65 points in purple and gold.
However, their efforts were revoked by the fierce Anthony Edwards.
Austin Reeves went scoreless in the first half, but they stepped up with 17 points to finish the game.
He also had the opportunity to tie the game together in final possession, but missed the shot. That meant that the Lakers would lose Game 4.
This was another indication of how poor Reeves was in the playoffs as his contributions appeared on the stats sheet, but he couldn’t affect the entire team.
The Austin Reeves entered the postseason and shot 37.7% from the 3-point range. This is the second best in his career.
However, he only shot 32% over the arc in the playoffs, making 8 3-point attempts per game.
While the filming slump is natural, the Reaves have turned the ball into a terrible lot in the playoffs, averaging 2.3 spins in four games so far.
JJ Redick is very critical of the Lakers’ acknowledging a lot of sales, and it seems that the issue will remain as there are 10 in Game 4.
With the Reaves getting scoreless in the first half, the Lakers’ entire offense came from the superstar duo of Don Sic and James, who scored 43 of the team’s first 58 points.
The bench only scored six points, which had no impact on the game at all.
The Lakers will find it difficult to win as others have little contribution. That’s why they need Reeves to step up and help the star duo.
In addition to not being good on the offensive edge of the floor, the Reaves were also defensively poor, which was on display again in Game 4.
Big Naz Reid of Timberwolves absolutely bullyed Reaves in one play and made a basket with one owner in the fourth quarter.
It was a matchup horror, but that’s a situation where the Lakers have no viable options for the center position to replace Jackson Hayes and Reddick, so they have to find a way to face them.
Almost every security guard at the Timberwolves can easily score with the Lakers, and some of the downsides here belong to the Reaves.
Previously, the Lakers Guard was used to post elite performances on both ends of the floor, and his glow drove the Lakers to the conference finals.
He spent his career years in the regular season and was expected to step up and become the Lakers’ third man.
But he is slowing down, and that seems to have the most impact on them.
They expected him to have a player who could play himself, but knock down a shot when needed in the playoffs.
With the series at 3-1, the Lakers still have time and could prove themselves by stepping in the rest of the game.
They have players who can turn things around in the team, but even others need to step up if that has to happen.