The Los Angeles Lakers are going back home down 3-1 in their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and they have to look for a lot of answers to avoid elimination. Luka Doncic has had a solid series so far, but it hasn't been enough to keep the Lakers afloat in most of the games. Doncic has shown the ability to take over a game by himself, and that's what he's going to have to do if he wants to get the Lakers back into this series.

Another thing Doncic might have to do is get himself hyped up, which is where he is at his best, and that mean he may have to let the crowd fuel him. That's what happened in Game 4 when a Timberwolves fan was heard heckling Doncic, as they told the Lakers' star, “You’re a grown man you complain every play.”

Doncic heard what the fan said and responded with “Shut the f— up, p—-.”

The Lakers did not score during that possession, but it may have lit a fire under Doncic. Some players need to hear the hate from the crowd to get things going, and Doncic seems like that kind of player. He probably won't have that problem with the fans in Game 5 as they'll be back home.

Lakers hoping to avoid elimination in Game 5

Related Los Angeles Lakers NewsArticle continues below
Lakers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates his game winning shot
LeBron James’ MVP voting finish leaves Lakers fans in awe
A shadowy player in a LA Lakers jersey in the middle. Have LA Lakers player LeBron James on one side and LA Lakers player Luka Doncic on the other, starting center trade
The starting center Lakers must acquire after Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle shaming

The Lakers have lost the past two games of the series, and it's hard to pinpoint one main reason. One of them has been Anthony Edwards and the pressure that he's putting on the Lakers with his scoring, and it's obvious they don't have an answer for him. In Game 4, head coach JJ Redick made the decision not to make any substitutions in the second half, and it did not work out for them in the end. With not much production from the bench, Redick had to go with the five he knew was going to give the Lakers the best chance to win.

After the game, Doncic remained optimistic about the Lakers' chances in the series.

“It's definitely disappointing, but we haven't lost anything yet. First to 4 wins and we just gotta still believe,” Doncic said.

The Timberwolves have imposed their will on the Lakers, and their physicality has seemed to be a problem for them. The Lakers are lacking depth, length, and athleticism, which is proving to hurt them a lot. The Lakers are not out of the series yet, and it starts with them trying to win Game 5.