Luka Dončić managed 40 minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, but the Los Angeles Lakers guard was nowhere close to 100%. According to several sources, Luka Dončić was dealing with a stomach illness during the game. As the Lakers prepare for a critical Game 3 at the Target Center on Sunday, the team’s fans will be relieved to hear that the Slovenian is not on the injury report and is likely to start the game.
Since joining the Lakers in February, Dončić has been a fundamental piece of head coach JJ Redick’s offense. His exceptional shooting and ability to create space for himself have allowed the Lakers players to flourish, with shots opening up all over the court for his teammates when the Slovenian superstar is in the game.
When healthy, the Slovenian has been one of the team’s most efficient players, having averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.6 steals over 28 games with the Lakers.
Redick Opens Up on Dončić’s Illness Following Game 3 Loss
After putting together a combined 68 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists over the first two games of the series, Dončić had a rare off night on Friday. He finished with just 17 points and shot an underwhelming 6-for-16 from the field.
Following the loss, Redick opened up on the Slovenian’s illness leading up to the game, stating:
“He hasn’t been feeling well for the last 24 hours,” said Redick. “I don’t know how much he slept last night. He didn’t feel well last night. His stomach was bothering him. He was vomiting all afternoon.”
Redick: "The early throw-aheads, the offensive rebounds….those things really accumulate, especially when you're turning the ball over." pic.twitter.com/6KjT19VwkV
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 26, 2025
Dončić was in the starting lineup for Game 3 but did not start the second half, coming in shortly after the game restarted in the third quarter.
“I’m not sure what happened at halftime. I’ll find out. He was really under the weather,” added Redick.
Luka Dončić’s teammate Dorian Finney-Smith was another player who could see that the All-Star was uncomfortable throughout the game.
“I didn’t think he was going to come out [for the] second half. Just because how he sounded. His body language. How he looked,” Finney-Smith told reporters.
The Lakers cannot afford any more slip-ups if they hope to progress to the next round of the playoffs. Friday loss means that they are trailing 2-1 in the series. Over the last 20 years, Los Angeles has an 0-3 record in the postseason when trailing 2-1 in a playoff series. Game 4 is set to take place at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday at the Target Center in Minnesota.