“It’s okay if you give up 15 points

ESPN’s Richard Jefferson and Doris Burke covered Game 3 of the Western Conference series between Anthony Edwards’ Minnesota Timberwolves and Luka Doncic’s LA Lakers. With the series tied at 1-1, the Lakers traveled to Minneapolis, hoping to regain home-court advantage. Doncic reportedly headed into the game dealing with a stomach issue.

During the game, Jefferson, a former LeBron James teammate in Cleveland, said this about the Slovenian:

“If he wants to stay in the game, he’s gotta give you more offensively. … It’s okay if you give up 15 points, but you gotta give us 25.”

The upset stomach Doncic battled through in Game 3 helped slow down the usually prolific scorer. He finished the game with 17 points behind 6-for-16 shooting, including 2-for-8 from deep. Doncic added eight assists and seven rebounds in the LA Lakers’ 116-104 loss.

The Minnesota Timberwolves went after Luka Doncic early and often to start the game. They immediately tested his conditioning following reports that he was playing through an illness. For most of the time, Doncic held his own, but Jefferson could not resist criticizing the point guard’s defense.

Doncic ended the first half with eight points, two rebounds, five assists and one steal in 19 minutes. The performance was unsurprising after JJ Redick announced the point guard had been throwing up “all afternoon going into the game.

Fans react to Luka Doncic playing through a stomach bug

The news that Luka Doncic played through with a stomach bug quickly created a buzz.

It did not take long for fans to react to the report:

“That’s the look at a hangover”

One fan said:

“Oscar: THE Best leading actor goes to…”

Another fan added:

“Thank God i never bet on the losing Lakers”

@realMattMcClary continued:

“Translation: Luka has been guarded by Jaden McDaniels”

@LakeShowYo could not resist:

“Minnesota poisoned Luka”

Despite Luka Doncic’s struggles, the Lakers had a chance late in the game. Doncic scored a layup to tie the contest at 103 apiece with 4:37 to go. Minnesota surged to the finish line with a 13-1 blast to take a 2-1 series lead.

Doncic gave everything he could, but the illness and the defensive pressure led by Jaden McDaniels proved too much to overcome. The Lakers will try to even the series in Game 4 on Sunday.

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Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael’s background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich’s genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael’s reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael’s children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero