Luka Dončić struggled with a stomach illness that had him “vomiting all afternoon,” according to head coach JJ Redick, leading up to the Los Angeles Lakers’ 116-104 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of their first-round NBA playoff series.
Teammate Dorian Finney-Smith was among those who didn’t think Dončić would be able to finish the game, based on how he looked.
“I didn’t think he was going to come out [for the] second half,” Finney-Smith told reporters afterward. “Just because how he sounded. His body language. How he looked. He looked a little pale today. He probably needs to hydrate some more. But Luka’s tough.”
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During the second quarter, Dončić played only eight minutes and had the hood on his warmup jacket pulled tightly over his head while on the bench.
Dončić finished with 17 points on 6-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-8 on 3-pointers. He still played 40 minutes despite laboring with his ailment. But he was on the court for nine minutes and scored four points in the fourth quarter.
The series takes a day off before Game 4 on Sunday. The Lakers hope Dončić will be feeling much better after a day of rest. He did not speak to reporters after the game.
“Hopefully, whatever’s going on, he’s feeling better on Sunday,” Redick said, via ESPN. “I mean, I can’t [diagnose him]. I’m not a doctor.”
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What Redick has diagnosed is the Lakers’ inability to provide any rim protection; they might bench Jaxson Hayes for Game 4. Hayes played only nine minutes in Game 3 and hasn’t played double-digit minutes in any of the three games in this series, despite being the one traditional center (and 7-footer) on the roster.
A defensive presence in the paint was an issue for the Lakers even before Anthony Davis was traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Dončić. The team attempted to add center Mark Williams at the NBA trade deadline, but rescinded the deal with the Charlotte Hornets when Williams reportedly failed his physical.
