"Michael Jordan would have scored in the 4th" - LeBron James' scoreless in fourth qtr in Lakers loss has NBA fans torching LA star

The Minnesota Timberwolves hold a 3-1 lead over LeBron James and the LA Lakers. Game 4 came down to the wire as both teams had opportunities to win. However, some crucial mistakes by LA in the fourth quarter, especially in crunch time, allowed Anthony Edwards and company to secure a 116-113 victory.

One player who underperformed in the game's final frame was James. The 40-year-old star was held scoreless in the fourth quarter, likely affecting how the game turned out.

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His scoreless fourth quarter prompted others to bring up the GOAT conversation. Some fans specifically compared him to some of his rivals in this distinction.

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"Michael Jordan would have scored in the 4th," one fan said.

"GAVE UP THE FINAL SHOT AS WELL. CURRY WOULD NEVER," one person tweeted.

"This yall Goat?" One fan asked

On the other hand, some people defended James. People brought up his other contributions, especially on the defensive end.

"He defended the f*** out of the Wolves. He’s 40 and went hard the first 3 quarters. What’s inexcusable is the supporting cast not showing up," one person tweeted.

"He’s the reason they even stayed in the game blocking those shots," one person pointed out.

"We have 40 year old Bron anchoring our defense lmao obviously he gonna be tired," another fan said.

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LeBron James tallied 27 points, with most coming from the charity stripe, where he went a perfect 18-for-18. He also went 5-for-9 from the field.

He was LA's second-highest scorer, trailing only Luka Doncic's 38. Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves were the only other Lakers to reach double figures, contributing 23 and 17, respectively.

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LeBron James only rested for a brief period in the first quarter

Three LA Lakers players were on the floor for over 40 minutes in Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Dorian Finney-Smith was active for 40:37 minutes, Rui Hachimura for 41:09 and Luka Doncic had 45:49. LeBron James, the oldest player on either side, saw 46:14 minutes of action.

Aside from timeouts and the halftime break, the only time that James wasn't on the floor was in the first quarter. He came out during the 3:32 mark and was back with 1:46 remaining in the opening frame.

Aside from his 27 points, James finished with 12 boards, eight assists, three blocks and three steals. All his blocks were in the fourth quarter.

About the author

Miguel is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 7 years. A lover of the sport owing to its mental aspect, he has played it throughout high school and college as a power forward and small forward, and has also coached high school and college basketball teams. These experiences have given him a unique perspective on the game, which translates into insightful content.

For Miguel, the San Antonio Spurs, especially during the Tim Duncan era, were the embodiment of team basketball. He respects Gregg Popovich's empathy toward his players and his understanding of the game. The Spurs' titles, Kobe Bryant's poignant "Dear Basketball" tribute, Derrick Rose's remarkable 50-point game with Minnesota and Magic Johnson's remarkable comeback are among Miguel's top basketball moments.

For his articles, he conducts thorough research, cross verifies information with at least three sources, and sometimes sacrifices speed for accuracy. Content simplification and maintaining a neutral view on topics are his strengths.

Miguel follows other sports, particularly the NFL, and when not working he enjoys hobbies like cooking and playing video games.

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Edited by Alvin Amansec