After 4: MIN/LAL, DEN/LAC

MINNESOTA 3, LOS ANGELES LAKERS 1

We knew Minneapolis was going to see some stuff over the weekend. Knew it because of who was courtside: Ice-T sitting next to Adina Howard, forty percent of anyone's all-time dinner party.

The trick for Minnesota was to find someone to supplant Anthony Edwards' persistent preeminence, Julius Randle's more alluvial clanks of his coal-clinkin' shovel, the left-handed one. Jaden McDaniels stepped up early and often in Game 3's victory (30 points to place on the graph's X-factor) and was similarly sufficient in Game 4's win on Sunday. Jaden didn't drop 30 (16 and 11, rather) but was capable when he had to be, didn't freak out once it was time to summarize his entire performance with a single catch and drive.

Minnesota doesn't feature an knockdown three-point shooter, someone to worry about at all times, which means Anthony Edwards is worried over by opponents, perpetually. It is a crushing burden, working within the periphery of five people. Plus the opposing coaching staff, staring directly at you even though you're just standing there, tugging at your shorts, talking shit to Austin Reaves.

Anthony Edwards is up for that burden. For now, at least, but this one-of-a-few capability doesn't do anything for Minnesota's five-man lineups. The Wolves require Randle at his gnarliest. McDaniels acting dutifully, prodding but not pushing and retaining fourth quarter legs, the mark of a two-way player who is also a No. 3, a Sean Elliott, a Chris Bosh.

Jaden ain't an All-Star, but Minnesota can win a title without an All-Star next to Randle and Edwards and that big center, the one nobody talks about when he goes 1-6 from the field during a win because who the bleep cares about 1-6 when we're playing the sort of defense Rudy Gobert plays?

The No. 3 in the pecking order doesn't have a point if the other numbers aren't holding their own: Nickeil Alexander-Walker is uncomfortably finding his place in this series, Donte DiVincenzo can't shoot painlessly or accurately but he drives and defends and does his darndest. Donte leads the NBA in learning from Stephen Curry. Three-point shooters should spot up extra feed behind the line, pump fake to lose a stupid, jumping defender, pull up for the closer three.

Naz, is Naz:

Can't stop. Rudy can't waste a foul on Gabe Vincent in Los Angeles. When Naz enters into Minnesota's super-big lineup, all he should be thinking is defense, not shotmaking. McDaniels can't try to score somewhere between 30 and 16 points on a single attempt.

Randle must be constantly reminded of the impossible matchup he is, how much of a problem he should be for opponents now that he is out of the triple-threat hell of Tom Thibodeau's offense. The Laker defense in this series was here and there but the Minnesota defense sustained throughout. Wolves D created 3-1, not timely buckets: Luka Dončić had three head shakes at Dorian Finney-Smith in the first 13:25 of DFS' Game 4, Minnesota must continue encouraging the Lakers to roll eyes at other Lakers.

Couldn't help but worry about Laker fans in this series, thinking about that "Luka for ten more years"-prognosis when he's giving up on fast breaks in the first round of Year One. When Luka is tired or angry or tired and angry he abandons his drive and pull-up game. Doesn't take tough two-pointers, only fancy threes.

So, yes, of course I think the Lakers will return to win the series.

J.J. Redick is not doing wonderfully but he will keep the Lakers from devolving into self-satisfied martyrdom, that's the spark, and the Lakers don't want to leave, that's the follow-through. I can't watch Luka Dončić burrow into and successfully away from Julius Randle's left hand and presume the Lakers don't have at least two sparkly wins ahead of them.

The Small & Unrested Lineup is a problem, but the Small & Unrested Lineup is only in its infancy. And, as was noted throughout Sunday evening, the Small & Unrested Lineup has Monday and Tuesday off in advance of a rather lengthy Los Angeles-to-Minnesota reroute.

Do the Timberwolves consider it a reroute? Do they expect to win Game 5 in Los Angeles? A gentleman's sweep of Luka and LeBron? If the Wolves are spying Game 6 at home, don't.

ABC tried to make Jaxson Hayes' departure about offense but it wasn't, rather Redick coming to terms with what several other coaches already noted (with their available 48 minutes: Hayes is a bit player. Offensive rebounds are something Redick is clearly cool with, J.J. made his living splashing threes off offensive rebound kickouts, he's unaware of the drawbacks. He simply prefers it to the hapless Hayes.

The Laker defense worked too well down the stretch to execute this poorly for the rest of the week, it will return. How long the week goes is up to Minnesota, Anthony Edwards.

Yadier Molina never bought into the bullshit of covering his mouth while visiting his pitcher on the mound, as if his message wasn't certain by the way Yadi stared straight into centerfield even though he was walking inside the infield.

Anthony Edwards is the same face. Every other NBA player was taught by Twitter in 2012 to pull a jersey over your mouth when it comes time to talk smack, make jokes, say things to get someone in trouble. Not Edwards. Not Mad Anthony. Does not care, does not mind, but also isn't trying to package some statement together. It isn't Hollywood, it isn't embarrassing like Kobe Doin' Work. He knows we know how he feels, why try to burnish shit?

Game 5 in Los Angeles at 10:00 PM Eastern on TNT

DENVER 2, L.A. CLIPPERS 2

I apologize for rudely pointing out that Michael Porter Jr. played like he was playing with one arm when he was playing with one arm. I also apologize for treating other Nugget role players harshly, Peyton Watson and Jalen Pickett, because I've no idea what it is like to have to work up against fans let alone the technology inside that brand-new Clipper Arena. Hellscape in there. Face recognition scanners constantly taking updated photos of you while you're trying to run and cut, stealing your soul one pixel at a time.

And I forgot about 'The Wall.' When you're not a Pink Floyd fan, you forget they had another big album everyone bought a trillion copies of that wasn't 'Dark Side of the Moon.' And you start to guess that it's that album where the two guys are shaking hands but no, it's 'The Wall' that sold a ton. And you go to think of 'The Wall' but all you can think of is Bob Geldof. But then you remember Status Quo so everything is fine.

It is this sort of lateral thinking that got the Nuggets running around in Game 4, even amongst the Clipper makes, trying to deliver an offense which could not be kept in front of. Denver mostly succeeded, the Clippers were so tired chasing Nugget cutters around that L.A. forgot to put the onus on the Nugget defense, refused to pull some free throws out of a winnable game. Clippers shot 11-16 in the loss, Nuggets managed the same 11-16 free throw mark in front of 'The Division Bell.'

Porter thinks he has this one-armed thing sussed. Like you're at a bar with friends who throw darts all the time plus one friend who hasn't thrown a dart since he had to pin the tail on the donkey when he was in kindergarten (but didn't listen). You leave the dartboards to grab another round and give your buddy some time to learn that he stinks at darts and hopefully quit but then you're back with the beers and he's still trying, incorrectly, but trying. Sometimes the dart even sticks to the dartboard.

Jamal Murray missed 12-15 attempts from the floor in Saturday's win but he developed some interesting, usable angles against the Clipper defense in Games 4 and 3. Stuff to use in a week, let alone a Game 5. Watson and Pickett are moving again, they'll move more comfortably at home. Nikola Jokic is the most productive sports player I've seen since Shaq or Jordan, or those years where Barry Bonds had a batting helmet the size of a smartly-outfitted Ford Mondeo.

Denver has enough to win. The Clippers? I don't think the Clippers care. Denver can win Game 5, whatever, the Clippers can really, really win Game 5 and the Clippers know it.

A few more midrange bursts, open threes after better defense, maybe some goshdarn free throws. The Clippers aren't upset with themselves for losing Game 4, but they are disappointed in losing the sort of game they wouldn't screw up in the regular season.

The fun part for L.A. is that Kawhi Leonard had half that season off, resting his legs in November to play January-styled ball in late-April and early-May. Leonard also has his angles, he simply has to make his shots.

The Clippers can put Leonard on Murray, late. Kawhi knows. He knows.

(Philadelphia fans watching Leonard's healthy knees and James Harden and Ben Simmons work against the gimme-the-ball-it-is-the-playoffs stylings of Nikola Jokic. Cannot be easy. Will be avenged. PHILA will have its hour.)

Game 5 in Denver on Tuesday on TNT at 10 PM Eastern

LET IT SHINE

Thank you for reading!

Previously, on After 4.