Game 3 between the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves tipped off later than expected, but the delay wasn’t the only unexpected twist of the night. ESPN’s Lisa Salters reported that Lakers star Luka Doncic has been battling a stomach bug for the past 24 hours and came into the game “feeling the effects of that upset stomach, low energy.” Through the first quarter, Doncic had just 2 points on 1-of-6 shooting, including 0-of-3 from deep, though he did contribute 5 assists.
When asked by Salters what adjustments the team needs to make if Doncic isn’t feeling right, Lakers coach JJ Redick responded, “I mean, he’s out there. We’re gonna treat him like he’s Luka. He’s been battling it for the last twenty-four hours.”
Redick also voiced his displeasure with his team’s early defense: “I just thought our ability to contain the basketball, it got us in the blender too many times. That led to points at the rim. That led to open threes. Gotta do a better job with individual basketball containment.”
Making matters even weirder, the game itself was delayed and didn’t tip off until 8:53 PM — giving both teams a little extra time to warm up but perhaps not helping Doncic’s uneasy stomach. The Lakers are hoping to regain home-court advantage after splitting the first two games, but with Doncic under the weather and their offense still inconsistent, they’ll need someone like Austin Reaves to step up quickly. Stay tuned — this one could get unpredictable.
(You go watch the second quarter while we get you more details)
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