Lakers’ Luka Doncic: ‘This Is The Playoffs. Fatigue Shouldn’t Play A Role’

The Lakers blew a 12-point lead in the second half before losing, 116-113, to the Timberwolves on Sunday. The series now shifts back to LA with Minnesota leading by a 3-1 count.

One more loss and the Lakers are done.

Did they maybe run out of gas in Game 4? After all, Lakers coach JJ Redick opted to play the starters for the ENTIRE second half. Hey, it happens. Actually, it almost never does.

Either way, Luka Doncic suggested that getting worn out at the end wasn’t an issue — despite the Lakers holding a 10-point lead with 12 minutes to go.

“This is the playoffs,” Doncic said, via Khobi Price of the LA Daily News. “Fatigue shouldn’t play a role.”

Doncic finished with 38 points, LeBron James with 27, including 15-of-18 shooting on free throws. But it was some mistakes at the end that assisted the Timberwolves’ victory. That included a sloppy inbounds pass by James that resulted in a turnover.

“It wasn’t planned,” Redick told reporters of playing the starters for the entire second half. “But we just made the decision at halftime.”