The NBA playoffs are rolling into the second round and something that would have been thought to be unlikely just one month ago is, indeed, happening: The Lakers will still be playing when the conference semis get underway. That is, alas, the good news. The bad news is that the next team up is the juggernaut defending champs, the Thunder, a team that clobbered the Lakers during the regular season, finished the year on an 18-2 run (before resting players in its final two games) and swept the Suns without breaking a sweat, the only favorite to sweep its opponent to open the postseason.
Oh, and the Lakers won’t have star guard Luka Doncic to start the series, and might not get him back until Game 4, at the earliest.
The Thunder are not just the favorites in this series, they are massive favorites, with minus-2000 odds heading into the semis. It’s all stacked up against the Lakers.
Lakers Will Need to Keep SGA in Check
But we asked a Western Conference NBA assistant coach for some hope on how the Lakers can keep pace with the Thunder. And he wasn’t completely negative about it. “They can hang around, at least,” he said.
That’s about as good as the outlook is going to get for the Lakers. But to do, some things will have to happen. Here’s how he puts it.
Neutralize Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. “He is tricky because you will want to pressure him three-quarters court, you will want to give him different looks, the way the Lakers did to Kevin Durant in the Rockets series when he played. But Shai is a great ballhandler and a great passer, so it’s going to be less effective. I still think you do it, even if you’re not forcing chaos. You’ve got to try to wear him out a little, and try to get the ball out of his hands. He is going to be the best player in the series, but you can’t let him be the best player by a mile. Just by 100 yards or whatever.”
Lakers Need to Grab Game 1
Gilgeous-Alexander did not have to work too hard against the Suns but he still averaged 33.8 points on 55.1% shooting in the series, adding eight assists. He will be rested–the Thunder will have eight days off before Game 1. And that could be key for the Lakers, as our coach’s next bit of advice is …
Put the Thunder on their heels in Game 1. “Easier said than done, and at this point, the Thunder are an experienced team. But think back to last year, Denver got Game 1 after the Thunder had a long layoff (eight days) and Indiana did the same thing off a layoff (seven days) in the Finals. Get the crowd out of the game early, hang in through their runs and give yourself a chance down the stretch.”
GettyShai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder
Role Players Could Provide an Edge
If there is one thing that the Lakers can take advantage of, too, it is the role players. That’s not to say the Lakers have better role players–they do not–but the difference is not as wide, and the Thunder have No. 2 option Jalen Williams out with a hamstring injury. Austin Reaves and LeBron James are the stars, and they can’t afford to play duds at this point. but neither can the role players.
Get big games from unexpected places: “The Thunder are going to let Marcus Smart shoot, and if he beats them, he beats them. But the thing is, we’ve seen him beat some teams. Can they get him open and get him making shots? The Lakers will need Luke Kennard rolling again. Deandre Ayton was a monster on the boards in the last two games–he needs to do that again. I think they will leave Rui (Hachimura) open and he has been making his shots.
“The Lakers can’t win on the frontline guys, but they can win a couple of times on the back line. It’s some hope for them, at least.”
Lakers’ Best Chance to Upset Favored Thunder Revealed by Coach