The Los Angeles Lakers couldn’t keep up with the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center, losing 116-104. Luka Doncic, typically the Lakers’ standout performer, was far from his best in the pivotal Game 3. Postgame, head coach JJ Redick offered an explanation for the All-Star’s uncharacteristic struggles.
Doncic’s performance was noticeably below par compared to his earlier efforts in the series. In Game 3, he managed just 17 points on 6-16 shooting from the field—a stark contrast to his 31 and 37 points in the first two games. Despite his struggles, Doncic contributed seven rebounds and eight assists but also committed five turnovers.
The reason behind Doncic’s lackluster outing was revealed by Redick, who disclosed that the Slovenian star had been battling severe stomach issues in the 24 hours leading up to the game, leaving him vomiting throughout the afternoon. Despite being far from full strength, Doncic logged 40 minutes of game time.
“He hasn’t been feeling well for the last 24 hours, so I don’t know how much he slept last night,” Redick shared in his postgame press conference. “He didn’t feel well last night, his stomach was bothering him, he was vomiting all afternoon. I’m not sure what happened at halftime, I’ll find out, but he was really under the weather”.
JJ Redick criticizes Lakers’ defensive effort
The Lakers’ defensive shortcomings were on full display, as the Timberwolves exploited their lack of rim protection to rack up 56 points in the paint compared to the Lakers’ 26. Turnovers were another major issue, with the Lakers giving up 19, leading to 29 points for Minnesota.
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“I think it was across the board. It wasn’t just him [Anthony Edwards],” Redick said when asked about Edwards’ ability to dominate. “We couldn’t contain the ball tonight. Our closeouts in the first quarter were god-awful. He just got into the teeth of our defense too much. The fact is we don’t have rim protection. And you had [Jaden] McDaniels absolutely kill us”.
Lakers aim to rebound in Game 4
Despite a brilliant 38-point, 10-rebound effort from LeBron James, the Lakers couldn’t overcome their defensive lapses and Doncic’s illness, allowing the Timberwolves to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
Doncic will have a full day to recover from his stomach issues ahead of Game 4 on Sunday, April 27, in Minnesota. The Lakers will look to even the series before heading back to Crypto.com Arena, where they aim to leverage home-court advantage to regain control.
