The Lakers demonstrated their lack of size in Game 5 on Wednesday and their offense once again let them down in the fourth quarter.
With their backs firmly against the wall, the Wolves and Lakers tipped off for Game 5 in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. As has been the theme of this series, LA struggled to score in the fourth quarter and was eliminated, losing 103-96.
Even while nursing a back injury suffered right before halftime, Luka Dončić came out aggressive in the third quarter. He finished with 28 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, including going 12-15 from the foul line.
LeBron James struggled from distance, shooting just 1-5 on 3-pointers, but poured in 22 points, six assists, and seven rebounds. Rui Hachimura kept the Lakers in the game with his shooting, hitting five 3-pointers, while Austin Reaves once again struggled with his shot, going 2-10 from three.
Let’s explore the three key takeaways from this one.
Lakers need a center
Los Angeles introduced a new starting five, substituting out big man Jaxson Hayes for Dorian Finney-Smith, the same lineup that played for 24 consecutive minutes to close Game 4. The Wolves quickly capitalized on the Lakers’ lack of size, collecting offensive rebounds and hunting the paint.
Wolves big man Rudy Gobert had arguably the best game of his career. He finished with 27 points, 24 rebounds and two blocks. Minnesota dominated the boards with a 54-27 edge and a 20-10 advantage in second-chance points.
The Wolves shot only 7-47 (14.9%) on 3-pointers but dominated points in the paint, 56-40. Head coach J.J. Redick benched Hayes for the entire game, even turning to Maxi Kleber, who played his first game since January 25, hoping to find a playable big man.
The Lakers’ center-less group of Dončić, Reaves, Finney-Smith, LeBron, and Hachimura finished the series with a -10.9 net rating. The center position, already a clear point of emphasis before the series, got magnified even further.
Fourth quarter failures
Following the blockbuster trade for Dončić, an inability for the Lakers to score seemed out of the question. Fast forward to the end of this series, with multiple chances, the Lakers could not score to save their season.
In five games, the Lakers were outscored 127-85 in the fourth quarter. In the final frame, they averaged 17 points on 29% shooting, including 23% on 3-pointers, ranking dead last in the playoffs.
The concerning blown leads in fourth quarters of the regular season reared their head in the playoffs as the basketball diluted into stagnant one-on-one play, allowing the Wolves’ elite defense to lock in.
In the series’ final two games, the Lakers failed to get their closers going offensively. James and Dončić shot a combined 4-18 in the last two fourth quarters. Whether it’s fatigue or a lack of execution, it’s something the coaching staff will need to figure out for next season.
Lakers had no answer for Julius Randle
In a series headlined by superstars, Julius Randle was a name that flew under the radar. The Lakers had no answer for his play throughout the series, a trend that continued in Game 5. Randle finished with 23 points, shooting 8-16 from the field, five rebounds, and four assists.
As LA crawled back into the game, Randle responded with a significant drive or basket each time. He was a true matchup nightmare, too big for smaller guards and too quick for forwards. Randle finished the series averaging 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 39% from three.
The Lakers implemented a heavy switching scheme and Randle took advantage. Anytime he faced Dončić or Reaves, he attacked aggressively. The former Lakers’ lottery pick kept the defense in constant rotation, consistently driving to score or passing to open shooters.
Randle bullied the Lakers all series, highlighting major gaps in the Lakers’ roster that need to be addressed before next season.
You can follow Raj on Twitter at @RajChipalu.