In a challenging Game 3, Luka Doncic battled through a stomach illness as the Los Angeles Lakers faced a 116-104 defeat against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
This loss gave Minnesota a 2-1 advantage in their first-round series. Jaden McDaniels led the Timberwolves with a career playoff-high of 30 points, while Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle contributed 29 and 22 points respectively.
Despite his illness, Doncic managed to score 17 points over 40 minutes. LeBron James took on much of the scoring responsibility, achieving an impressive 38 points, marking the highest postseason score by a player over 40 years old. His performance included three crucial three-pointers in the fourth quarter. However, he couldn’t maintain his scoring momentum as Minnesota ended with a decisive 13-1 run.
Austin Reaves acknowledged Doncic’s efforts, stating, “He gave it everything he had tonight and played 39, 40 minutes, did everything he could do to help us win.” Reaves himself contributed with 20 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. The Lakers had a chance when it was a one-possession game with three minutes left but failed to capitalize.
The Lakers struggled with ball control throughout the game, committing 19 turnovers that led to 28 points for Minnesota. LeBron James noted that these errors were costly despite Doncic’s illness affecting their performance. “Obviously, with his illness, it impacts our team,” James remarked.
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James emphasized that mistakes compounded their challenges: “In the postseason…the more that you make mistakes…then it’s not going to give you an opportunity to be in the best possible chance to win.” The team is aware of Doncic’s contributions since joining them and how his condition affected their play.
The series continues as Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday in Minneapolis. The Lakers will need to address their turnover issues and find ways to support Doncic if they hope to even the series against Minnesota.