Lakers Report Hearing Whistles from Stands During Game 3 Loss to Timberwolves
The Lakers noted repeated whistles from the audience during the latter half of their Game 3 defeat against the Timberwolves.
Something strange occurred early in the fourth quarter of Friday’s Game 3 between the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves. With around eight-and-a-half minutes to go, Rui Hachimura lost the ball, which was picked up by Jaden McDaniels, who raced down the court hoping for a transition dunk. Luka Dončić took chase, aiming to make a stop.
This pivotal play came when the Timberwolves led by four, and a significant transition score could have energized the crowd. Dončić, having started the play ahead of McDaniels, abruptly halted his advance. McDaniels dunked, bringing the lead back to six. In the end, the Timberwolves clinched victory.
This was the play where it was evident that Luka heard a whistle. Jordan Goodwin reported he heard one several times. Link to Tweet.
A few minutes later, an infuriated JJ Redick called a timeout to confront an official, leading to the announcement that any fan using a whistle would be ejected.
Dončić stopped due to a whistle — it just didn’t come from the officials, but rather from the stands. The situation was confirmed as multiple players reported similar occurrences throughout the game. Arena security will likely increase vigilance for Game 4, preventing fans from disrupting play.
