The LA Lakers continued their struggles, falling to the OKC Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals on Saturday, May 9. The Lakers could not keep up with the Thunder’s prowess on both ends of the floor, putting them on the brink of a sweep in the series.
During Game 4, amid the in-game frustrations, Lakers head coach JJ Redick seemed to have revealed his true feelings on Deandre Ayton, the team’s starting center. In a sequence in the fourth quarter, Ayton gave up two offensive rebounds to the Thunder, prompting Redick to go back to his seat and rant about his center on the bench.
“I can’t play him,” Redick said after sitting down.
“I can’t play him.”
Ayton played just 24 minutes in the game and was outplayed by the Thunder bigs throughout the series. In Game 3, he put up 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting and six rebounds.
Ayton also played Chet Holmgren to score 18 points and pull down nine rebounds, while Isaiah Harternstein chipped in 12 points on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting from the field along with nine boards.
In Game 2, Ayton only had three points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes. Ayton had 10 points and 12 rebounds in the series opener, all of which resulted in a loss.
JJ Redick Reflects On Lakers’ Series With OKC
GettyHead coach JJ Redick reaction on the Lakers’ Game 3.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick reflected on the team’s first three games against the Thunder. Redick commended the Thunder’s all-around play and summarized how they have been badly beaten by the Lakers.
“The MVP [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] scores 18, 22, 7 of 20 tonight, and they’ve kicked our ass three straight games. They are an incredible basketball team,” he said after Game 3.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been kept at a minimum production throughout the series. In Game 3, he had 23 points and nine assists, but the Lakers still allowed Ajay Mitchell to top the scoring with 24 points.
The Thunder again had solid outputs from their bench plays such as Cason Wallace, who notched 16 points, and Isiaah Joe, who tallied 12 points.
The Thunder is now 7-0 in the series, becoming the sixth defending champion to become unbeaten in their first seven playoff games. The last team to do so was the 2016-2017 Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James.
JJ Redick Remains Unrelenting on Winning One Against OKC
GettyJJ Redick details belief for the Lakers in Game 4.
Nevertheless, Redick remained positive after Game 3, hoping to finally get one in Game 4. Redick insisted that the Lakers would not give up in Game 4 and would look to force to extend the series and go back to Oklahoma City.
“I’m not giving up on the series,” Redick said. “We’re going to go try to win on Monday. We’re going to try and extend the series and we’re trying to take this thing back to OKC.”
Game 4 will remain in Los Angeles and will happen on Monday, May 11. A win in OKC There would advance them to the Western Conference Finals against the winner of the series between the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs.
Lakers’ JJ Redick Reveals True Feelings on Deandre Ayton During Game 3