LeBron James powers the Lakers to 4th straight victory, 111-102 over the Timberwolves

LOS ANGELES, CA – LeBron James delivered a stellar performance with 33 points and 17 rebounds, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 111-102 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night. The win marked the Lakers’ fourth consecutive triumph, improving their record to 14-3 since January 21. Austin Reeves contributed 23 points, while Luka Dončić added 21 points and 13 rebounds.

Terrence Shannon Jr. was the standout for Minnesota, scoring a career-high 25 points, but the Timberwolves have struggled, losing three of their last four games and five of their last seven.

Minnesota faced adversity when All-Star guard Anthony Edwards was ejected with 5:27 left in the third quarter after receiving his second technical foul. Edwards, who had 18 points, threw the ball into the stands following the ejection. If both technical fouls stand, he will face a one-game suspension for accumulating 16 technicals this season.

Despite Edwards’ exit, the Timberwolves mounted a rally, trimming a 92-77 deficit to just 13 points early in the fourth quarter. However, Dončić responded with a clutch off-balance 3-pointer with 3:37 remaining, extending the Lakers’ lead to 98-91 and stifling Minnesota’s momentum.

On Monday, the Timberwolves had staged a remarkable comeback from a 25-point deficit in the second half to defeat Oklahoma City, but they couldn’t repeat the feat against the Lakers.

LeBron James sparked a big lead for the Lakers early in the second quarter with a 3-pointer, pushing them ahead 47-24. However, Minnesota gradually chipped away at the deficit. Dončić also had five assists, including a key pass to James for a layup early in the first quarter, which gave the Lakers an early 9-3 lead.

James’ 17 rebounds tied his season high.

Both teams will be back in action on Friday night: the Timberwolves will face Utah, while the Lakers will host the Clippers.