LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves look on during the game during Round 1 Game 3 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. David Sherman, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP
LOS ANGELES -- The Minnesota Timberwolves turned it up late to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 116-104 on Friday, withstanding a vintage performance from LeBron James to take a 2-1 lead in their NBA Western Conference first-round playoff series.
Jaden McDaniels scored a career playoff-high of 30 points and Anthony Edwards added 29 for the Timberwolves, who closed the game on a 13-1 scoring run.
With Slovenian star Luka Doncic slowed by illness, James led the Lakers with 38 points -- surpassing the playoff record for a player past his 40th birthday, the 32 points scored by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the NBA Finals in 1987.
The teams had split the first two games of the best-of-seven series in Los Angeles. The Timberwolves host game four on Sunday looking to take a 3-1 lead.
James added 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocked shots, drilling a trio of three-pointers in the fourth quarter that helped the Lakers keep it close.
They tied it at 103-103 with 4:37 remaining on a basket by Doncic, who was battling a stomach ailment that Lakers coach JJ Redick said had him throwing up throughout the day.
Edwards responded with a three-pointer and Naz Reid followed with another. After driving for a layup Edwards blocked Rui Hachimura at the other end and after McDaniels pushed the lead to 116-104 with 39 seconds left Redick pulled his starters.
© Agence France-Presse
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