Despite suffering consecutive 18-point losses, the Los Angeles Lakers still believe they can rally and make the series competitive against the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, a third straight defeat would feel like a near knockout punch.
The Lakers are determined to bounce back Saturday night at home when they host the defending champion Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference second-round series. The two losses in Oklahoma City are not the only reason for concern—the Thunder have defeated the Lakers in all six meetings this season, winning by an average margin of 25.5 points.
{p}Throughout the regular season, Oklahoma City beat Los Angeles by margins of 29, 9, 43, and 36 points. The last two games came on April 2 in Oklahoma City—the last time Luka Doncic played—and April 7 in Los Angeles. With Doncic still sidelined due to a hamstring injury, the Lakers face a grim outlook.
{p}LeBron James is averaging 25 points in the series and may need to don his Superman cape to fuel a comeback. Thunder guard Alex Caruso, who played with James for three seasons in Los Angeles, warned against underestimating the 41-year-old.
{p}“He’s always ready for the moment,” Caruso said. “Everybody wants to talk about his age, but he’s still LeBron James. He’s still capable of being the best player on the court any given night.”
{p}Still, James acknowledged the difficulty of the 2-0 hole after a 125-107 loss in Game 2. “We tried to execute (the game plan) as close to 48 minutes as possible, but it just didn’t get done,” he said.
{p}Austin Reaves provided a spark with a career playoff-high 31 points on 10-of-16 shooting, playing in his fourth game back from an oblique injury. Lakers coach JJ Redick praised Reaves’ effort: “I thought he did a good job touching the paint and those tough shots were there. He played a solid game. Obviously he had five turnovers, but everybody on our team had turnovers.”
{p}Turnovers plagued Los Angeles in Game 2, with 21 giveaways leading to 26 Oklahoma City points. The Lakers seemed in good shape when they led 65-61 late in the third quarter and Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sat with four fouls. But Oklahoma City dominated the rest of the quarter, outscoring the Lakers 32-15 with Gilgeous-Alexander on the bench, taking a 93-80 lead into the fourth.
{p}“It was amazing,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of the bench’s performance. “They strung together stops, they’re playing the right way offensively and things are going their way. Full confidence in those guys. They know how to win basketball games.”
{p}Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 22 points in Game 2, averaging just 20 points in the series as the Lakers have thrown multiple defenders at him on nearly every possession. That strategy has allowed Thunder big man Chet Holmgren to thrive, averaging 23 points and 10.5 rebounds in the series.
{p}“He’s the ultimate winner anyway, but he was the ultimate winner (Thursday),” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. “There’s nothing he can’t do. When the lights are on, he’s at his best.”
{p}Thunder star Jalen Williams remains out with a hamstring injury, but his absence was mitigated in Game 2 as Ajay Mitchell scored 20 points in his place.
