The Los Angeles Lakers are a game away from going on summer vacation. Sunday night’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves put them in a 3-1 hole, and though they’re about to return home for Game 5 on Wednesday, things are not looking good for LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the rest of the Purple and Gold.
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Less than 5% of teams in NBA history that have fallen behind 3-1 have come back to win the series. LeBron himself pulled it off with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals, but his current team is clearly more flawed.
Head coach JJ Redick didn’t sub once in the entire second half of Game 4 because he doesn’t trust his bench. His Lakers have been powerless to stop Anthony Edwards, who repeatedly torched them on Sunday night despite near-constant double-teams.
Paul Pierce, who had more than a few run-ins with LeBron during his own playing days, spoke about the Lakers’ chances on yesterday’s episode of SPEAK, and let’s just say he wasn’t optimistic. Pierce said the Lakers weren’t allowed in the Truth Lounge, his own personal club, because they didn’t deserve it.
“We told ’em we closed this week. We remodeling, and y’all should too.” Noted Lakers fans Keyshawn Johnson responded that the Lakers just did remodel (presumably a reference to the Luka-Anthony Davis trade), but Pierce had a quick comeback. “Y’all need to do a re-remodel.”
Joy Taylor asked if the Lakers are done, and Pierce couldn’t have been clearer: “Joy, didn’t I tell you? They outside. They are done, Joy… I think the Lakers’ season is over.”
The Wolves are a problem without an obvious solution for a shorthanded Lakers team
Pierce talked about how he didn’t even expect the Lakers to finish third in the Western Conference this year, especially after making such a big move in the middle of the season. Despite posting 50 wins, though, this team just can’t match Minnesota’s physical style of play or their impact pieces beyond their stars like Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels.
The Lakers have gotten by on the greatness of LeBron, Luka and even Austin Reaves, but the playoffs have a way of exposing a team’s shortcomings. The Lakers have many, first and foremost being the lack of an impact center and rim protector.
JJ Redick gambled by pushing his starters to the limit Sunday night, but the plan backfired. Now, his best guys probably have less in the tank for the rest of the series. Maybe the home crowd at Crypto.com Arena will give them the boost they need to extend things another game, but a potential Game 6 in Minnesota looks like a tall task for a team that’s almost running on empty.
If the Lakers can get an impact big this summer and add some more worthwhile depth, they could position themselves as true contenders before next season, assuming LeBron is able to hold up another year. Until then, they look overmatched against a team as tough as the Wolves.
