Minneapolis, Minnesota — In a stunning coaching move, Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick kept the same five players on the court for the entire second half of Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The risky decision backfired, as the Lakers fell 116-113, and now trail the Lakers vs Timberwolves series 3-1 in the NBA Playoffs 2025.

Despite a valiant effort from LeBron James and Luka Doncic, it was Anthony Edwards who once again stole the spotlight, pouring in 43 points — including 16 in a pivotal fourth quarter — while adding nine rebounds and six assists to lead Minnesota to victory.

JJ Redick’s No-Sub Gamble Backfires in Game 4

JJ Redick shocked NBA fans and analysts by refusing to make a single substitution after halftime, trusting his starters — James, Doncic, Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Rui Hachimura — to finish the game.

“We certainly played well enough to win, and we gave the effort to win,” Redick said after the loss. “It wasn’t a plan going into the game to play five guys all second half, but once they were committed, I trusted them.”

The move sparked immediate criticism:

• Magic Johnson tweeted, “I don’t know if it’s smart to play LeBron and Luka the entire second half after just one day of rest.”

• Dennis Marshall called it “irresponsible” to not trust anyone else on the roster.

• Keerthika Uthayakumar noted that Redick became the first coach in the play-by-play era to run with only five players for an entire half during a playoff game.

Lakers Start Strong, But Fatigue and Anthony Edwards Take Over

The Lakers opened the second half on fire, rattling off a 14-0 run to seize control and silence the Minnesota crowd. But fatigue inevitably set in, and Anthony Edwards seized the moment, willing the Timberwolves back into the lead with relentless scoring and hustle plays.

Naz Reid’s clutch three-pointer and a critical and-1 by Donte DiVincenzo shifted momentum late in the fourth quarter. In the closing minute, a crucial foul on LeBron James against Edwards, confirmed after review, sealed the Lakers’ fate. Edwards knocked down two free throws to push the Timberwolves ahead 116-113.

Austin Reaves had a last-second chance to tie the game but missed a contested three-pointer.

Lakers React to the Game 4 Collapse

After the loss, Lakers players supported Redick’s decision — at least publicly:

• Austin Reaves said he was willing to do “whatever coach needed.”

• Rui Hachimura admitted he was “ready to play the whole game” but noted the chemistry among the five players “fell apart” late.

• Dorian Finney-Smith emphasized playoff urgency, saying, “Nobody wanted to come out anyway.”

• LeBron James dismissed fatigue as a factor, instead blaming missed opportunities.

“I don’t think fatigue had anything to do with it,” James said. “We just missed some point-blank shots.”

Lakers Face Elimination in Game 5

The Lakers playoff loss leaves them one defeat away from elimination. Game 5 of the Lakers vs Timberwolves 2025 series tips off Wednesday night in Los Angeles, where the Lakers must find a way to counter Minnesota’s physicality and Anthony Edwards’ explosive performances — or see their season end prematurely.