The Los Angeles Lakers are facing the potential end of their season in Game 5 of their playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves this evening.

Heading into tonight’s game at home trailing 3-1 in the series, the Lakers need to bring desperation, defense, and will also need to take care of the basketball.

Can Los Angeles pull off a win to extend the series? Dwight Howard has spoken out with a last-minute prediction before the game.

Howard has predicted that the Lakers’ season will end tonight.

“It’s over with man,” he said. “You know with Shannon Sharpe, what’s been the number all day? What’s been the number all year? Five. Lakers in five, he been saying it. Lakers gonna go home in five.”

Throughout the course of the series, Los Angeles simply hasn’t been able to keep pace with the Timberwolves. They have struggled mightily on the defensive end of the court and they have committed too many key turnovers.

Former NBA center Dwight Howard

© Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

LeBron James and Luka Doncic will have to put on a show tonight to deny Minnesota a chance to close out the series. There is no denying the Lakers have the talent to make things interesting, but they have a lot of work to do and things to fix.

Game 5 is set to tip off at 10 p.m. ET with the game airing on TNT. If Los Angeles can fix things defensively, rebound well, and take care of the ball, there could be a chance.

On the flip side, Edwards and the Timberwolves are highly motivated to close out the series and get some rest heading into the second round. So far, they have clearly been the better team in the series.