LOS ANGELES — The Lakers’ recent success, having the league’s best record since Jan. 15, has come in large part because they have consistently played with greater effort.
LeBron James had 33 points, 17 rebounds and six assists as they held off the Minnesota Timberwolves, 111-102, for their 16th win in 20 games on Thursday night, but the game illustrated the cost of consistently having to play as hard as they have.
The Lakers’ offense sputtered after a strong start, partly because the short-handed Timberwolves (playing without Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle) tightened up their defense. But the Lakers’ offense also stagnated, and they seemed to lack the energy to pull themselves out of the rut.
The Lakers shot 69.6% from the free-throw line (32 for 46) – an indication their legs were waning as the game progressed.
James and Luka Doncic (21 points, 13 rebounds, five assists) helped get the Lakers across the finish line after their 23-point lead was cut to four late in the fourth quarter. James and Doncic combined for 14 of the Lakers’ 27 fourth-quarter points and 10 rebounds in the final period.
Minnesota trailed 92-77 less than three minutes into the fourth quarter before it made a 13-1 run. With the Lakers clinging to a 95-91 lead, Doncic made an off-balance 3-pointer (off an assist from James) with 3:37 left and the shot clock winding down for a 98-91 lead.
It was the only 3-pointer Doncic made (on nine attempts) as he shot 6 for 20 from the field, but the Timberwolves didn’t get any closer than four for the rest of the night.
Austin Reaves finished with 23 points (six in the fourth), six rebounds and five assists.
The Lakers scored 25 points in the second and 26 third quarters after having a 33-17 lead after the first.
They led by 23 (47-24) early in the second but led by just 11 (58-47) at halftime after the Timberwolves scored nine of the final 13 points of the second, including back-to-back 3-pointers from Terrence Shannon Jr. (25 points and five rebounds off the bench) and Anthony Edwards.
Edwards (18 points, six rebounds, five assists) was ejected midway through the third after picking up his second technical foul of the night, with the Lakers leading 74-59, seemingly upset about a non-call.
After briefly carrying the ball around after being ejected, Edwards threw it into the front row seats on the baseline near the Timberwolves’ bench instead of giving it to the referees, triggering a delay-of-game violation.
Edwards’ second technical on Thursday was his 16th of the season, which means he’ll be suspended for one game if a technical isn’t rescinded.
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura left the game early in the third, coming up gimpy after dunking in transition and immediately went to the locker room. The Lakers ruled Hachimura out later in the quarter because of a strained left knee.
Shannon led Minnesota with a career-high 25 points and Edwards, who is fourth in the league at 27.3 ppg, had 18. The Timberwolves have dropped three of four and five of seven.
The Lakers will return to Crypto.com Arena on Friday night to host the Clippers on the second night of a back-to-back. The teams will meet again on Sunday night, also at Crpyto.com Arena.
It’ll be the first time the Clippers visit the Lakers since they started playing home games at Intuit Dome this season.
More to come on this story.