The Los Angeles Lakers showed just how dangerous their Big Three can be in Sunday’s road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team with the NBA’s best record.
The Lakers (48-30) can reinforce that impression Tuesday when they run it back against the host Thunder.
“All three of those guys that we have are elite offensive players,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. “You can try your best night-to-night to figure out where the weak points are and where you can create an advantage.”
In Sunday’s 126-99 win, Doncic and Reaves combined for nine of Los Angeles’ season-high 22 3-pointers.
“With the adding of Luka and the subtract of (Anthony Davis), their attack becomes more perimeter and less interior,” Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said there’s a balancing act in not putting too much stock into the previous matchup while also trying to learn something from it.
Oklahoma City (64-14) clinched the top seed in the Western Conference nearly three weeks ago and, though it won its next seven games after clinching to extend its winning streak to 11, the Thunder now have dropped back-to-back games for the second time this season.
“If you leave someone alone in the gym, they usually don’t shoot that well from 3,” Daigneault said. “So there’s a shot-making element. But I also think there’s a focus element that we were lacking in the game.”
Several Thunder players have said recently they were fighting against human nature to prevent a lull heading into the postseason.
“Not to make it an excuse, but whether we win or lose, our standing won’t change, so naturally, it’s going to slip in,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “The challenge for every team is different, and the challenge is for us to make sure that we stay focused and continue to play with that sense of urgency.”
Jalen Williams said the Thunder just need to keep doing what they’ve done all season and not overreact to the last two games.
“I don’t think it’s lost,” Williams said. “I don’t know about ‘find it again.’ It’s not lost. Think it’s just more trying to figure out what we want to do and not panic.”
With one more win, the Thunder would set the single-season franchise record for victories — surpassing the 1995-96 team that went 64-18 when the franchise was in Seattle.
While the Thunder can look forward to the postseason, Los Angeles still has plenty to play for in the regular season.
The Lakers come into the game in third place in the Western Conference, 3 1/2 games behind Houston for second and 1 1/2 games ahead of Denver for third with four games remaining. They can finish as high as second and as low as eighth.
Doncic said the playoff-like environment in Oklahoma City combined with the competitive race in the Western Conference helped sharpen his focus.
“It’s very tough to play here,” Doncic said. “It’s very tough to win, but looking at the standings today, it’s crazy in the West. It brings the competitive spirit out of me.”
Tuesday’s game is the first of a back-to-back for the Lakers, who’ll play Wednesday at Dallas in Doncic’s first game there since being traded to the Lakers for Davis on Feb. 2.
–Field Level Media
