Not many think the Lakers can get the job done tonight. After their crash-out last game, the hopes are bleak. But if anyone can do it, it’s LeBron James. He did it against arguably the best iteration of a team we’ve ever seen- the 2016 Warriors. So, a Timberwolves side that finishes #7 in the West should be a more ideal opponent to do it against. You shouldn’t count an NBA team out of contention, especially when they’re 3-1 up in a 7-game series. But Lakers legend Magic Johnson has full faith in the boys to get it done.

Magic spent his entire career at Showtime. So you can see where the bias would come from. But when you have LeBron and Luka Doncic flying like they are, anything is possible. We’ve never seen a Broncos playoffs partnership before. While the Lakers don’t seem to be up to the mark, the playoff demons in LeBron and Doncic are always ready to get their hands dirty when the going gets tough. And that’s exactly what Magic Johnson is hoping to see.

This comes right after his scrutiny of JJ Redick choosing to play the pair the entirety of the second half in game 4. “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,” said Johnson on X.

So it might seem a little ironic that he suddenly has all the hopes that the future Hall of Famers will get it done for LA’s finest. But that’s all in the past now. If there’s ever a time to get behind the boys, it’s now. And if there’s anyone to get behind, it’s Luka Doncic and LeBron James. It seems tough after the first four games though.

Lakers eyeing to make Magic Johnson proud after ‘hurtful’ first 4 games

The fans were dreaming of a WCF against OKC Thunder heading into the playoffs. They believed they could do it all. But a stopgap has presented itself- and it’s come in the form of Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves. No one knows if they underestimated Minnesota, or they just can’t seem to get it right at the moment. And the third game was the perfect example of that.

After trailing by three points at halftime, the Lakers recovered to lead by as many as 12 in the third quarter but were unable to hold on late in the fourth. But considering that they were leading for most of the game, this is a tough one to take. Magic even admitted it when he tweeted out, “I’m just sick to my stomach that the Lakers lost this game after being in control most of the 2nd half.🤦🏿‍♂️” after the game.

The NBA did come out and admit their mistakes after the game: “Last Two Minute Report from Lakers-Wolves Game 4 holds up JJ Redick’s contention that Luka Doncic was tripped and should have been awarded free throws. It does not support LeBron James’ stance that the hand was part of the ball on the out of bounds call on Anthony Edwards,” tweeted Dave McMenamin, NBA reporter for ESPN.

Dumb it down to whatever you want- questionable officiating, Redick’s blunder. Nothing matters if a promising regular season shows ends prematurely in the first round. Coming up against Ant will be a tough task in itself. Their struggling defense was heavily exposed in these 4 games.

It’s all upto the Lakers at the Crypto.com Arena in LA. LeBron James and Luka Doncic have heard Magic Johnson clearly. Their naivety has let them down in the series so far, but far worse teams have come back from this positon against far better. Do you think Johnson’s prediction will come true?

This is a developing story…