The Los Angeles Lakers moved to the brink of returning to the NBA Finals with a 92-85 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the teams? best-of-seven Western Conference Finals series.
The Lakers held serve on their home Staples Center floor with two consecutive wins and are now up 3-1 in the series. The series will now shift back to Minnesota with the Wolves trying to stay alive and the Lakers on the verge of returning to the NBA Finals.
After flying to Eagle, Colorado for a court hearing in the rape trial against him, Kobe Bryant flew back to Los Angeles in time for the start of Game 4. Bryant sparked his team with 18 points in the third quarter and the Lakers were in control of the game.
"My energy level was good," Bryant said after his 31 point, 8 rebound night. "You never know what can happen in a playoff situation. That's why whenever you have an opportunity to close a team out, you have to take advantage of it and take care of business."
Shaquille O?Neal helped the Lakers control the boards and dominate the point, pulling down 19 rebounds and scoring 19 points.
Kevin Garnett turned in a near triple-double with 28 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists. Karl Malone did as well with 12, 11 and 8.
Garnett felt the officiating favored the Lakers, particularly when the Wolves took the ball hard to the basket. Even though O?Neal was making contact with drivers, the Wolves did not hear too many whistles. "I was saying to myself, it seems like we're playing against eight people tonight," said Garnett in reference to the five Lakers and three officials. "I feel like you've got to put the officials in position to make calls and I feel like we did that. They didn't make the calls, and when that happens you feel like you're playing against eight people."
Game 5 is Saturday in the Target Center.