This is the Lakers’ record in win-or-go-home games in the NBA Playoffs
The Los Angeles Lakers have no margin for error today, as J.J. Redick’s men host the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the NBA Playoffs First Round.
The Los Angeles Lakers face a win-or-go-home clash in the NBA Playoffs tonight, as the 17-time champions attempt to avoid a second successive First-Round exit from the postseason.
Lakers on the brink in Timberwolves series
After Sunday’s 116-113 defeat in Game 4 of the best-of-seven series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the No.3-seeded Lakers trail 3-1 and will be eliminated if they lose Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena.
Indeed, J.J. Redick’s men must now win three successive games against the No. 6 seed if they are to set up a Conference Semi-Finals series against either the Golden State Warriors or the Houston Rockets.
What is the Lakers’ record in win-or-go-home Playoff games?
In the franchise’s eight-decade history, the Lakers have faced must-win Playoff games on 92 occasions, registering a 45-47 record.
In recent years, however, the Californians’ victory percentage in win-or-go-home clashes has been significantly lower than that all-time success rate.
Of their last eight must-win games, stretching back to the 2010/11 season, the Lakers have triumphed in only two.
Lakers’ must-win Playoff games - the full list:
2024:
W - Nuggets 108-119 Lakers, First Round - from 0-3 to 1-3
L - Lakers 106-108 Nuggets, First Round - from 1-3 to 1-4
2023:
L - Lakers 111-113 Nuggets, Conference Finals - from 0-3 to 0-4
2021:
L - Suns 113-100 Lakers, First Round - from 2-3 to 2-4
2013:
L - Spurs 103-82 Lakers, First Round - from 0-3 to 0-4
2012:
W - Nuggets 87-96 Lakers, First Round - from 3-3 to 4-3
L - Lakers 90-106 Thunder, Conference SFs - from 1-3 to 1-4
2011:
L - Lakers 86-122 Dallas, Conference SFs - from 0-3 to 0-4
2010:
W - Celtics 67-89 Lakers, Finals - from 2-3 to 3-3
W - Celtics 79-83 Lakers, Finals - from 3-3 to 4-3
2009:
W - Rockets 70-89 Lakers, Conference SFs, from 3-3 to 4-3
2008:
W - Celtics 98-103 Lakers, Finals - from 1-3 to 2-3
L - Lakers 92-131 Celtics, Finals - from 2-3 to 2-4
2007:
L - Lakers 110-119 Suns, First Round - from 1-3 to 1-4
2006:
L - Lakers 90-121 Suns, First Round - from 3-3 to 3-4
2004:
L - Lakers 87-100 Pistons, First Round - from 1-3 to 1-4
2003:
L - Spurs 110-82 Lakers, Conference SFs - from 2-3 to 2-4
2002:
W - Kings 102-106 Lakers, Conference Finals - from 2-3 to 3-3
W - Lakers 112-106 Kings, Conference Finals - from 3-3 to 4-3
2000:
W - Kings 86-113 Lakers, First Round - from 2-2 to 3-2
W - Trail Blazers 84-89 Lakers, Conference Finals - from 3-3 to 4-3
1999:
L - Spurs 118-107 Lakers, Conference SFs - from 0-3 to 0-4
1998:
L - Jazz 96-92 Lakers, Conference Finals - from 0-3 to 0-4
1997:
L - Lakers 93-98 Jazz, Conference SFs- from 1-3 to 1-4
1996:
L - Lakers 94-102 Rockets, First Round - from 1-2 to 1-3
1995:
W - Lakers 98-96 Spurs, Conference SFs - from 1-3 to 2-3
L - Spurs 100-88 Lakers, Conference SFs - from 2-3 to 2-4
1993:
L - Lakers 104-112 Suns, First Round - from 2-2 to 2-3
1992:
W - Trail Blazers 119-121 Lakers, First Round - from 0-2 to 1-2
L - Trail Blazers 102-76 Lakers, First Round - from 1-2 to 1-3
1991:
L - Bulls 108-101 Lakers, NBA Finals, from 1-3 to 1-4
1990:
L - Suns 106-103 Lakers, Conference SFs, from 1-3 to 1-4
1989:
L - Pistons 105-97 Lakers, NBA Finals, from 0-3 to 0-4
1988:
W - Jazz 98-109 Lakers, Conference SFs - from 3-3 to 4-3
W - Mavericks 102-117 Lakers, Conference Finals - from 3-3 to 4-3
W - Pistons 102-103 Lakers, NBA Finals - from 2-3 to 3-3
W - Pistons 105-108 Lakers, NBA Finals - from 3-3 to 4-3
1986:
L - Rockets 114-112 Lakers, Conference Finals - from 1-3 to 1-4
1984:
W - Celtics 108-119 Lakers, NBA Finals - from 2-3 to 3-3
L - Lakers 102-111 Celtics, NBA Finals - from 3-3 to 3-4
1983:
L - 76ers 115-108 Lakers, NBA Finals - from 0-3 to 0-4
1981:
W - Lakers 111-106 Rockets, First Round - from 0-1 to 1-1
L - Rockets 89-86 Lakers, First Round - from 1-1 to 1-2
1979:
W - Nuggets 109-121 Lakers, First Round - from 0-1 to 1-1
W - Lakers 112-111 Nuggets, First Round - from 1-1 to 2-1
L - Lakers 100-106 SuperSonics, Conference SFs - from 1-3 to 1-4
1978:
W - SuperSonics 99-105 Lakers, First Round - from 0-1 to 1-1
L - Lakers 102-111 SuperSonics, First Round - from 1-1 to 1-2
1977:
W - Warriors 84-97 Lakers, Conference SFs - from 3-3 to 4-3
L - Lakers 101-105 Trail Blazers, Conference Finals - from 0-3 to 0-4
1974:
L - Lakers 92-114 Bucks, Conference SFs - from 1-3 to 1-4
1973:
W - Bulls 92-95 Lakers, Conference SFs - from 3-3 to 4-3
L - Knicks 102-93, NBA Finals - from 1-3 to 1-4
1971:
W - Bulls 99-109 Lakers, Conference SFs - from 3-3 to 4-3
L - Lakers 98-116 Bucks, Conference Finals - from 1-3 to 1-4
1970:
W - Suns 121-138 Lakers, Division SFs - from 1-3 to 2-3
W - Lakers 104-93 Suns, Division SFs - from 2-3 to 3-3
W - Suns 94-129 Lakers, Division SFs - from 3-3 to 4-3
W - Knicks 113-135 Lakers, Finals - from 2-3 to 3-3
L - Lakers 99-113 Knicks, Finals - from 3-3 to 3-4
1969:
L - Celtics 108-106 Lakers, Finals - from 3-3 to 3-4
1968:
L - Celtics 124-109 Lakers, Finals - from 2-3 to 2-4
1967:
L - Lakers 115-122 Warriors, Division SFs - from 0-2 to 0-3
1966:
W - Hawks 121-130 Lakers, Division Finals - from 3-3 to 4-3
W - Lakers 121-117 Celtics, Finals - 2-3 from 1-3
W - Celtics 115-123 Lakers, Finals - 3-3 from 2-3
L - Lakers 93-95 Celtics, Finals - 3-4 from 3-3
1965:
L - Lakers 96-129 Celtics, NBA Finals - from 1-3 to 1-4
1964:
W - Hawks 105-107 Lakers, Division SFs - from 0-2 to 1-2
W - Hawks 88-97 Lakers, Division SFs -from 1-2 to 2-2
L - Lakers 108-121 Hawks, Division SFs - from 2-2 to 2-3
1963:
W - Hawks 100-115 Lakers, Division Finals - from 3-3 to 4-3
W - Lakers 126-119 Celtics, Finals - from 1-3 to 2-3
L - Celtics 112-109 Lakers, Finals - from 2-3 to 2-4
1962:
L - Lakers 107-110 Celtics, Finals - from 3-3 to 3-4
1961:
W - Pistons 120-137 Lakers, Division SFs - from 2-2 to 3-2
L - Lakers 103-105 Hawks, Division Finals - from 3-3 to 3-4
1960:
L - Lakers 86-97 Hawks, Division Finals - from 3-3 to 3-4
1959:
W - Pistons 102-129 Lakers, Division SFs - from 1-1 to 2-1
L - Celtics 118-113 Lakers, Finals - from 0-3 to 0-4
1957:
L - Hawks 143-135 Lakers, Division Finals - from 0-2 to 0-3
1956:
W - Hawks 75-133 Lakers, Division SFs - from 0-1 to 1-1
L - Hawks 116-115 Lakers, Division SFs - from 1-1 to 1-2
1955:
W - Royals 110-119 Lakers, Division SFs - from 1-1 to 2-1
W - Pistons 91-99 Lakers, Division Finals - from 0-2 to 1-2
L - Pistons 105-96 Lakers, Division Finals - from 1-2 to 1-3
1954:
W - Royals 72-82 Lakers, Division Finals - from 1-1 to 2-1
W - Nationals 80-87 Lakers, NBA Finals - from 3-3 to 4-3
1953:
W - Pistons 58-74 Lakers, Division Finals - from 2-2 to 3-2
1952:
W - Knicks 65-82 Lakers, NBA Finals - from 3-3 to 4-3
1951:
W - Olympians 80-85 Lakers, Division Semi-Finals - from 1-1 to 2-1
L - Lakers 75-80 Royals, Division Finals - from 1-2 to 1-3
How many times have the Lakers come back from 3-1 down in the Playoffs?
Only once in franchise history have the Lakers managed to overturn their current deficit in their series with the Timberwolves.
That was in the 1970 Division Semi-Finals, when Los Angeles won three straight games to earn a 4-3 victory over the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers went on to reach the Finals that year, but lost in seven to the New York Knicks.
In the entirety of the NBA, teams have come back from 3-1 down in the Playoffs on only 13 occasions.
Timberwolves vs Lakers: Game 5 time, how to watch
In Game 5 of the First Round, the Lakers host the Timberwolves today, Wednesday, April 30, with tip-off scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.
Viewers in the U.S. can watch the clash on TNT/TruTV, while your streaming options include the online platform fubo, which offers a free trial. You can also follow live-text coverage of Minnesota vs L.A. right here at AS USA.
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