LeBron James recorded one of his highest-scoring playoff performances in a Laker uniform in Game 3 against the Timberwolves on Friday, scoring 38 points and 10 rebounds. The Lakers also knocked down 17 of their 40 three-point attempts after making just 21 combined in the first two games. Still, as Khobi Price of The Orange County Register writes, these positive developments didn’t help the Lakers overcome the Wolves in Game 3.
Los Angeles still committed too many turnovers that led to a significant shot disparity and ultimately, those downfalls cost them the game.
“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. Sometimes they force you into turnovers, which they did. But we also had some unforced turnovers: over-dribbling, trying to draw fouls, dribbling into traffic, trying to do a little bit too much with the basketball. We generated a lot of really good shots when we didn’t turn [the ball] over.”
We have more from the Lakers:
- Another reason the Lakers couldn’t pull out a victory on Friday is that Luka Doncic wasn’t playing at 100%, Price adds in the same piece. Doncic has been battling a stomach illness since Thursday and Redick said he was vomiting through Friday afternoon. He battled through the injury and recorded 17 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, but it was clear he wasn’t feeling like his usual self. He underwent thorough post-game treatment and didn’t speak to the media following the loss. As Price notes, Gabe Vincent started the second half in his place, though Doncic returned less than a minute into the third quarter. “I didn’t think he was going to come out [out of the locker room for the] second half,” teammate Dorian Finney-Smith said.
- The Minnesota crowd was tough on the Lakers in Game 3, with the noise from fans having a direct impact on the game. At one point, officials had to address the crowd and tell them to stop whistling, as it was getting confused with the refs’ actual whistle. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link), Jordan Goodwin said he and other teammates heard a whistle come from the stands a handful of times before the officiating crew addressed it.
- In a subscriber-only story, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times details how the Lakers’ investment in player development is providing benefits in the postseason. Goodwin is a prime example of the Lakers’ development system working, as he went from a training camp player to the G League to a two-way deal to a standard contract and is now earning playoff minutes.
This is getting ridiculous. Second player poisoned (that we know about) and no comments from the league. Well, when you encourage gambling these nutjobs will do anything for an edge. Also check out any personal chefs with a grudge. Really sad what is happening and yet no one seems to care. Smdh.
Evidence?
Players need to be very smart in what they eat. Unfortunately the new administration has cut food inspectors and deregulated laws on food handling. Thus I expect more food poisoning in the next few years. A recent meat product that was causing illness was never alerted to the public through FDA because their funding for out break alerts has been cut.
i feel like he was partying or something
Regular season maybe, but this is the playoffs. Also it’s Minnesota you think he’s sucking back cold ones at the mall of America? This is poisoning it couldn’t be more obvious. It will happen again, just watch…
LMFAO…😂 as if the T-wolves aren’t very good.
This isn’t related to the post, but I have a serious idea for the nba draft and have no idea why it doesn’t already happen.
With the draft being 2 days long already, it’s inevitable that they will eventually add more rounds or picks, whether it be before or after adding expansion teams. With the g league being completely different now than ever, with teams calling up players way more often, and using it in a whole new way, why not add a third round that’s tied into the g league? There are always so many players who become undrafted free agents, who often deserve a high pro opportunity, and most of them end up signing minutes after the draft anyway. If there were 30 additional picks, making the draft 90 long, each team could have one pick that they aren’t allowed to trade, and the player drafted will have a choice between not playing in the nba or g league at all and signing overseas, or signing a two way or g league deal with that team and their affiliate. In this scenario, it would be a 1 year contract for the nba team to see what he has, and try and develop him or see if he’s worth a roster spot. That way they are only under a contract for one season, and if they don’t like the team, or want bigger opportunities, they can leave and go wherever they want. It’s basically a glorified draft and stash. The only catch to make it work better is that the g league team can’t release or trade them within that first year unless the nba team renounces their draft rights.
I think this would be a great way for the g league and nba to be a true developmental affiliate. It would take the place somewhat of the g league draft, Wherw most of these guys already go anyway, and that no one even cares about.
Refs telling the fans to be quiet… If they did that here in Europe they wouldn’t make it out of the arena alive
Lotta bad teeth in Europe , I suppose a natural whistle out the mouth is valid
I don’t have an LA Times subscription, so I can’t read the piece that is linked….but Jordan Goodwin played for Washington, Phoenix, and Memphis prior to arriving in LA. He played in 64 games for Washington, far more than for any other team. His season averages per 36 minutes in his time with Washington were generally at or above where they were in LA this year across most meaningful statistical categories. I am having trouble imagining how LA’s player development system is getting the credit for Goodwin’s performance. The guy had been pretty good for a while before he ever got there.
Yeah, it’s like…..are any of the Laker draft picks in the last, say, 7-10 years doing anything productive for the NBA Lakers? I hope that Dan Woke guy didn’t overlook that deficiency – but that’s kinda been the LA media’s job since the Lakers were last a real powerhouse – early 20-teens timeframe?