LeBron James turned in one of his best playoff performances in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform on Friday, scoring 38 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. The Lakers also found their shooting touch, connecting on 17 of 40 three-point attempts after struggling from deep in the first two games of their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Still, the familiar issues that have plagued Los Angeles all series long — turnovers and missed opportunities — resurfaced in Game 3, and the Lakers fell short again.
The Timberwolves now lead the series by a 2-1 count.
“They’re big, they’re long, they’re athletic, they pressure the basketball, they make everything tough,” head coach JJ Redick said of the Timberwolves. “We’re gonna have some turnovers. But we also had some unforced turnovers — over-dribbling, trying to draw fouls, dribbling into traffic, trying to do a little bit too much.”
The Lakers’ miscues led to a significant shot disparity and ultimately tilted the game in Minnesota’s favor, despite James’ scoring outburst and the team’s improved perimeter shooting.
Health concerns added to the Lakers’ woes. Luka Doncic, battling a stomach illness since Thursday, struggled to find his rhythm and looked visibly drained throughout the night. He finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, but needed extensive postgame treatment and did not address the media.
At one point, Doncic was replaced by Gabe Vincent to start the second half, though he returned shortly after. Teammate Dorian Finney-Smith said he was unsure if Doncic would be able to continue.
The Lakers will need to find cleaner offense and hope for improved health if they intend to extend their season. Game 4 is set for Sunday in Minneapolis.
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