The Los Angeles Lakers recently played Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. After losing Game 3 and falling behind 1-2 in the series, the Lakers struggled to gain momentum in Game 4. Additionally, LeBron James’ performance in the fourth quarter sparked significant outrage on social media, prompting an NBA legend to share his opinion on the situation.
The Lakers faced a heartbreaking defeat in the pivotal Game 4 against the Timberwolves, finishing with a nail-biting score of 116-113. In the aftermath of this intense showdown, former NBA star Magic Johnson didn’t hold back, taking to social media to critique JJ Redick.
“I dont know if it smart to play LeBron and Luka the entire second half after only having one day of rest between Games 3 and 4. When we needed LeBron to take over in the fourth quarter he couldn’t – he scored 0 points in the fourth,” Johnson wrote in his recent post on X (formerly Twitter).
I dont know if it smart to play LeBron and Luka the entire second half after only having one day of rest between Games 3 and 4. When we needed LeBron to take over in the fourth quarter he couldn’t – he scored 0 points in the fourth.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 27, 2025
James received considerable criticism on social media for not scoring in the fourth quarter of Game 4. However, Johnson attributed the blame to head coach Redick for playing both James and Luka Doncic the entire second half, especially after only one day of rest between Games 3 and 4.
Kendrick Perkins Blames Coach JJ Redick As He Stands By LeBron James After Lakers’ Game 4 Setback
James played for 46 minutes, during which he scored 27 points, provided eight assists, and grabbed 12 rebounds. Luka Doncic, also on the court for the full 46 minutes, scored 38 points and added two assists and one rebound.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
Rui Hachimura also made significant contributions, scoring 23 points, recording one assist, and collecting five rebounds. Despite their strong performances, the Lakers came up short against Anthony Edwards, who had a stellar game. In a recent episode of First Take, Kendrick Perkins attributed the Lakers’ Game 4 loss to the Timberwolves to JJ Redick.
“It’s JJ Redick without a doubt. You have a guy in LeBron James who is 40 years old – do you realize he’s gonna be eligible for his pension in 5 years?” Perkins said.
"It's JJ Redick without a doubt. You have a guy in LeBron James who is 40 years old – do you realize he's gonna be eligible for his pension in 5 years?"
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 28, 2025
Kendrick Perkins places blame on JJ for the Lakers' Game 4 loss to the Wolves 🗣️pic.twitter.com/s1OPax0Dmn
The Lakers are currently 1-3 in the playoff series against the Timberwolves. They will play Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena.
