Kendrick Perkins Warns Lakers Are In Serious Trouble Ahead Of Game 4

Kendrick Perkins issued a stern warning ahead of Game 4: the Los Angeles Lakers are in serious trouble. Speaking on NBA Countdown, Perkins did not mince words about where the Lakers stand after falling behind 2-1 in their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

He pointed specifically to the overwhelming size and athleticism of the Timberwolves, led by Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards, as problems that the Lakers and head coach JJ Redick have yet to solve.

"The Lakers are in trouble, serious trouble, and J.J. Redick is going to have to make a business decision. The size, the athleticism of the Minnesota Timberwolves is too much for the Los Angeles Lakers right now." 

Perkins emphasized that Jaden McDaniels has been a massive problem for the Lakers, using a colorful phrase to describe how dominant McDaniels has been, especially in the paint. In the Timberwolves' two victories, McDaniels scored 25 points in Game 1 and 30 points in Game 3, averaging an eye-popping 27 points per game in the series. 

Anthony Edwards even said after Game 1 that the Timberwolves want McDaniels to be aggressive, and he has delivered beyond expectations. Perkins framed it bluntly: JJ Redick has a “business decision” to make for Game 4: either keep trying to survive with the current matchups or make drastic adjustments to slow McDaniels down.

This could mean increasing Jaxson Hayes’ minutes despite his shaky play, or tasking Rui Hachimura or Jared Vanderbilt with the unenviable job of guarding McDaniels. So far, neither solution has been tried effectively. 

Hayes has been exposed at the center position, offering little resistance inside while being a non-factor on offense. Redick publicly backed Hayes after Game 3, but even he acknowledged that “we have no rim protection” and suggested the Lakers would “look at everything” for lineup changes.

Perkins also defended Rudy Gobert, pushing back on the narrative that Gobert is a defensive liability. Perkins pointed out that the Lakers are shooting just 10-for-32 when isolating Gobert, a dismal 31 percent, meaning the strategy of attacking him one-on-one is simply not working. 

Perkins even referenced Luka Doncic’s iconic stepback against Gobert last season but said that Gobert's defense has been rock-solid this series. Gobert’s ability to hold his ground against isolations and patrol the paint has quietly been one of the biggest reasons Minnesota has controlled the physical battle.

The good news for the Lakers is that Luka Doncic is reportedly back close to full health after battling a brutal stomach bug in Game 3. ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Doncic spent all of Saturday resting, regaining energy that he badly lacked in Game 3. 

A healthy Luka will certainly give the Lakers a major boost offensively, relieving some of the burden from LeBron James and creating better spacing for teammates like Austin Reaves and Dorian Finney-Smith.

Still, the Lakers' issues are not just about scoring. They must find a way to contain McDaniels and protect the rim without Davis, or this series could slip away quickly. Perkins' words ring true: the Lakers are in serious trouble if they cannot make the necessary adjustments. 

However, with Luka recharged and the urgency of playoff elimination looming, expect Los Angeles to throw every punch they have in Game 4. They are wounded, but not dead yet.