The Los Angeles Lakers delivered a statement win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, 116-104, at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers displayed their defensive grit by limiting the Thunder, the best team in the West, to just 39.4% shooting. The Lakers also had a balanced scoring attack, with four players scoring at least 19 points, led by D’Angelo Russell’s 26 points and five three-pointers.
Lakers shut down Thunder’s MVP candidate
The key to the Lakers’ victory was their ability to shut down the Thunder’s star player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is a leading contender for the NBA MVP award. Gilgeous-Alexander was held to 20 points on 5-of-13 shooting, well below his season average of 28.7 points per game. The Lakers also did a great job of defending Jalen Williams, who scored only seven points on 2-of-9 shooting, and Chet Holmgren, who had 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting.
The Lakers’ coach Darvin Ham praised the team’s defensive effort, saying that it was their “best defensive half of the season” in the first half, when they held the Thunder to 30.6% shooting and built a 52-43 lead. Ham credited Austin Reaves for his role in guarding Gilgeous-Alexander to start the game, and said that the team as a whole did a great job of “staying in front” of the Thunder’s ball handlers, avoiding gambles, and securing defensive rebounds.
Lakers share the ball and the scoring load
On the other end of the floor, the Lakers showed their offensive versatility and chemistry, as they had 29 assists on 42 made field goals. The Lakers also had four players score at least 19 points, with Russell leading the way with 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting, including five three-pointers. Russell had a hot hand in the fourth quarter, when he hit three consecutive triples, each more difficult than the last, to give the Lakers a 24-point lead, their largest of the game.
Anthony Davis also had a strong game, with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while LeBron James added 19 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. Austin Reaves, who started in place of the injured Kendrick Nunn, had a career-high 19 points, along with six rebounds and four assists. The Lakers shot 48.8% from the field and 40.5% from the three-point line, making 15 out of 37 attempts.
Lakers boost their playoff hopes with a statement win
With this win, the Lakers improved their record to 28-33, and moved up to the ninth seed in the Western Conference, half a game ahead of the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers are also within two games of the sixth seed, which is currently held by the Phoenix Suns. The top six teams in each conference secure automatic playoff berths, while the teams ranked seventh to tenth have to participate in a play-in tournament to determine the final two spots.
The Lakers have shown that they can compete with the best teams in the league, despite having a challenging season marked by injuries and inconsistency. The Lakers have also demonstrated their resilience and potential, as they have won three out of their last four games against the top two teams in the West, the Thunder and the Utah Jazz. The Lakers will look to continue their momentum as they face the Sacramento Kings, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Minnesota Timberwolves in their next three home games.