Luka Doncic sends alarming message to Lakers about Timberwolves fans based on 2024 WCF experience

Luka Doncic knows a thing or two about playing against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA playoffs. Doncic delivered a warning to his LA Lakers teammates ahead of their visit to the Target Center for Games 3 and 4 of their first-round series.

“Luka Magic” was in full display on Tuesday’s 94-85 win by the Lakers against the Timberwolves in Game 2. The series shifts to Minnesota, with Game 3 being a pivotal game, and Doncic knows the atmosphere there would make some players nervous.

“Going into Minnesota will be a war,” Doncic said, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. The fans are going to be cheering like crazy … We can’t panic.”

Luka Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to a four-game sweep of the Minnesota Timberwolves in last year’s Western Conference Finals. Doncic knows how to beat the Timberwolves, but it’s a little different this year. He’s now part of the LA Lakers following his shocking February trade.

Doncic has been cooking the Timberwolves in the first two games of this series, scoring 37 points in Game 1 and 31 points on Tuesday night. Minnesota has no answer for him on defense since he can score on Donte DiVincenzo, Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels.

The Slovenian star also likes to target Rudy Gobert, who was put into a spin cycle a few times in Game 2. It was another classic performance by “The Don,” while LeBron James and Austin Reaves got their confidence back. James finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, while Reaves had 16 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Luka Doncic reveals the key to their win in Game 2

LA Lakers coach JJ Redick preached putting more effort and being more physical ahead of Game 2. His team knew what to do and put on a show for their fans en route to a 94-85 win. They tied the series, 1-1, with an important Game 3 on the horizon.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Luka Doncic praised the Lakers’ level of physicality from start to finish.

“It was just a question of if we would be more physical or not, and I think we showed that,” Doncic said, according to BBC Sports. “We were there for 48 minutes. We got up big in the first quarter, we learned from the last game and we just stuck with it.”

The Timberwolves made a couple of comeback attempts in the second half, but the Lakers stayed composed and ready for it.

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Juan Paolo is a journalist for Sportskeeda who covers the NBA and WNBA. He’s been writing about basketball since 2015 and has been with Sportskeeda since 2021.

Juan’s allegiance lies with the Golden State Warriors and his journey with the Warriors began with their memorable victory over the Lakers in 2000, and he experienced the successes of the ‘We Believe’ era and the rise of Steph Curry. 

What Juan loves most about basketball is its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from adrenaline-fueled excitement to the highs of victory and the lows of defeat. To ensure complete accuracy in articles, he conducts thorough research before writing his articles.

The Warriors’ victories in the 2022 and 2017 championships hold a special place in Juan’s memories, as well as iconic moments like Baron Davis’ dunk over Andrei Kirilenko and Goran Dragic’s performance in the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.

Off the court, Juan enjoys watching football, TV and movies, caring for his numerous cats, and cooking whenever time permits.

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Edited by Juan Paolo David