All eyes are on Luka Doncic’s abdomen heading into Sport 4
No, this isn’t a reference to the Dallas Mavericks’ efforts to label Doncic as pudgy after they inexplicably traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this season.
It’s about Doncic’s well being. The Lakers revealed that Doncic battled a abdomen bug in Sport 3, which helped clarify his poor efficiency within the Lakers’ 116-104 loss in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night time.
Doncic missed 10 of 16 photographs and dedicated a handful of turnovers, and the Timberwolves took a 2-1 benefit within the best-of-seven Western Convention quarterfinals collection.
Now the star-powered Lakers face the potential of falling behind 3-1 within the collection on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis. That will put the entire strain on the shoulders of Doncic, LeBron James and the remainder of the Lakers as they return to Los Angeles.
Alternatively, if the Lakers can bounce again Sunday, the collection shall be even at 2-all and Doncic and his teammates will regain home-court benefit for what primarily shall be a best-of-three race to the end.
All of that is to say that the strain is climbing.
And Doncic is crashing — or no less than he was Friday night time.
The missed photographs have been powerful, particularly as Doncic shot 2 of 8 from 3-point vary. That’s territory the place he has dominated the Timberwolves up to now, together with final season with the Mavericks. Followers in Minnesota nonetheless have vivid recollections of Doncic burying a step-back 3-pointer over Rudy Gobert to win Sport 2 of the convention finals.
Doncic’s turnovers have been equally pricey. Anthony Edwards poked the ball unfastened from him earlier than driving the baseline and dunking over Doncic’s head within the third quarter. Gobert received a small little bit of revenge in opposition to Doncic as he stole the ball and arrange Jaden McDaniels for a layup and a free throw late within the fourth quarter as Minnesota pulled forward.
Issues could possibly be totally different Sunday. For Doncic and the Lakers, they are going to should be.
Teammate Dorian Finney-Smith noticed how a lot Doncic was hurting at halftime.
“I did not suppose he was going to come back out (for the) second half,” Finney-Smith stated. “Simply because (of) how he sounded. His physique language. How he appeared. He appeared a bit pale immediately. He in all probability must hydrate some extra. However like I stated, Luka’s powerful.”
The timing was powerful, too.
Doncic averaged a team-high 34 factors within the first two video games of the collection. He nonetheless leads the Lakers with 28.3 factors per sport within the collection regardless of enjoying sick in Sport 3.
“Clearly, together with his sickness, it impacts our group,” James stated. “We perceive what he brings to our group and what he is executed because the acquisition. It positively took an enormous blow for our group.”
Anybody who has battled a abdomen bug this winter or spring (is that this really everybody?) is aware of the way it can knock you out for a day or extra. All the pieces hurts. You simply need to be alone in a darkish, quiet room for some time.
Right here’s the issue for Doncic: There’s little or no time for that. He’s going to be in a really crowded, extremely loud room and beneath a really brilliant highlight for Sport 4.
It’s an early tipoff, as nicely, which may pose one other problem. With the sport set to start out at 2:30 p.m. in Minnesota (12:30 p.m. Pacific time), Doncic must get up and get going throughout a interval of the day when he in any other case would possibly be capable of take a nap.
Lakers coach JJ Redick is hoping for the very best.
“Hopefully, no matter’s occurring, he is feeling higher on Sunday,” Redick stated. “I imply, I am unable to (diagnose him). I am not a physician.”
At the least he is trustworthy.