Lebron James scored 33 points and drew in 17 returns and Luka Doncic added 21 points and 13 returns when Los Angeles Lakers increased its winning line to four matches with a victory 111-102 over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.
Austin Reaves got 23 points and Jaxson Hayes added 10 when Lakers improved to 14-3 since January 21. Rui Hachimura had five points in 18 minutes for Los Angeles before going well early in the third quarter with a left knee team.
The victory came despite Doncic walking 1 of 9 from 3-point reach and Gabe Vincent lacked all five shots from long reach. Lakers were 11 out of 41 (26.8 percent) at a distance.
Terrence Shannon JR received a career heap 25 points and Anthony Edwards added 18 for Timberwolves, who lost for the third time in their last four matches. Edwards was thrown out with 5:21 in the third quarter after he got his second technical foul in the game.
Jaden McDaniels got 15 points and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 14 for Minnesota, who played without Rudy Gobert (back) and Julius Randle (Ljumsk). Donte Divincenzo scored nine points in 23 minutes for the wolves when he returned from a 19-game absence due to a toe injury.
Lakers built a 17-point lead just over 11 minutes into the match and was up with 23 during the second quarter before taking an advantage of 58-47 to half time. James had 19 points during the first half for Lakers.
Minnesota pulled within 10 points at 76-66 with 3:43 left in the third quarter, then the wolves went on an 11-0 driving to pull within 92-88 with 6:56 left in the match.
Doncic made 0 out of 7 shots in the second half before a basket with 4:55 left the Lakers gave a lead of 95-90. After going 0 out of 8 from 3-point intervals in the game, Doncic then made an offbalance Fall-Away 3 pointer with 3:39 left to give Los Angeles a lead of 98-91.
The Lakers finally put the game away on two free throw from Vincent with 37.5 seconds left, giving them a lead of 109-100.
Since he has 16 technical fouls this season, Edwards is expected to be suspended for the Timberwolves game in Utah on Friday – unless one of his two from Thursday is canceled.
-Field level media
