In what turned out to be one of the toughest nights of his career, Luka Doncic battled severe illness in Game 3 of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Despite vomiting throughout the day and looking visibly drained, Doncic tried to gut it out and help his team. Unfortunately, even his effort was not enough to prevent the Lakers from falling 116-104 and slipping to a 2-1 series deficit.
According to Lakers head coach JJ Redick, Doncic had been under the weather for over 24 hours leading up to Friday’s crucial game.
“He hasn’t been feeling well for the last 24 hours so 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, I’m not sure what happened at halftime, I’ll find out, he was really under the weather.”
Luka’s struggles were evident from the very start. After averaging 34 points across the first two games of the series, Doncic looked a step slow and clearly fatigued. He managed just two points on 1-for-6 shooting in the first quarter and was seen sitting on the bench with his warmup hood pulled tightly around his head, trying to recover between shifts.
By halftime, his teammates were unsure if he would even continue. Dorian Finney-Smith admitted he did not expect Doncic to come out for the second half, citing how pale and weak the superstar appeared.
Luka Doncic is clearly in pain from his stomach virus
After the halftime horn he went to sit down on the bench and talked to Lakers medical staff about pain near the abdomen area, Lakers will get more news after halftime pic.twitter.com/2Le1BYeOb6
— LakeShow Highlights (@LSH_lakeshow) April 26, 2025
Incredibly, Doncic did return. He played through the second half, finishing the game with 17 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists in 40 gritty minutes. Still, he was a far cry from his usual self, committing five turnovers and struggling to create separation against Minnesota’s defense.
After the game, Luka did not speak to the media, immediately seeking treatment from the Lakers’ medical staff. He was not seen at his locker when reporters entered the room, underscoring how much the illness had sapped him.
LeBron James, who poured in 38 points in a vintage playoff performance, emphasized how much Luka’s condition impacted the Lakers’ chances.
nba luka doncic being sick / ill / going through it compilation during round 1 game 3 playoffs 2025 reaction video pic.twitter.com/9LoCSlsRMN
— 🗂️ (@forzasharl) April 26, 2025
Despite their star guard’s brave effort, the Lakers’ overall performance was riddled with mistakes. They committed 19 turnovers, allowing the Timberwolves to score 28 points off their miscues. Down the stretch, the Lakers simply ran out of gas, getting outscored 13-1 in the final minutes.
Now, attention turns to Game 4, scheduled for Sunday afternoon with just about 36 hours of recovery time. Redick expressed hope that Doncic’s condition would improve but admitted he could not predict how Luka’s body would respond.
For the Lakers to have any realistic chance of evening the series, they will need a healthy or at least significantly better Luka Doncic. His heart and toughness were undeniable in Game 3, but the Lakers will need his full brilliance if they want to survive this first-round battle.
