After the Los Angeles Lakers lost 131-108 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals on Saturday, the question wasn’t if they would lose the series, but when. The hope is that they can avoid elimination for at least a few days by winning Game 4 at home on Monday, although that’s actually a pretty slim hope.
In the first three games, the Lakers were able to stay within striking distance in each game until the Thunder hit the turbo button in the third quarter. On Monday, Oklahoma City didn’t control the game until the third quarter. In the first 6 minutes and 22 seconds of the second quarter, the Lakers went on a 17-0 run, and it was not until 5 minutes and 15 seconds that the Lakers scored their first goal of the quarter. Trailing by 12 points at this time, the Purple and Gold team was under heavy pressure.
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This time, the Lakers did mount a counterattack in the third quarter. Trailing 49-45 at halftime and 66-54 with 7:35 left in the third quarter, they went on a 30-14 run the rest of the way and led 84-80 entering the fourth quarter. The final minutes featured shot after shot and great play from both teams, and even though the Lakers fell behind again midway through the final frame, they kept fighting.
In the end, though, Oklahoma City had a little more on both sides of the ball. In the end, the Lakers won 115-110 and were eliminated from the playoffs.
Granted, Luka Doncic hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring strain on April 2. But it’s disappointing that Los Angeles hasn’t shown a consistent presence in this series. Its overall lack of speed, athleticism, depth and two-way players was exposed by a Thunder team as deep as the Pacific Ocean and as defensively capable as any team in recent NBA history.
For the first time in this series, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points and 8 assists for the Lakers as usual. AJ Mitchell scored 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting, and Chet Holmgren had 16 points and 9 rebounds.
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Now, speculation immediately begins as to who will stay, who will leave, and who will join the Lakers roster this offseason. LeBron James will become a free agent, as will players such as Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard and Jackson Hayes. Austin Reeves is expected to opt out of his contract and become a free agent, as can guard Marcus Smart and center Deandre Ayton.
Deandre Ayton: D
In the most important game of the season, one that could help determine the Lakers’ motivation to keep him, Ayton simply didn’t make the impact he was capable of. The team rarely allowed him to participate in the offense. He only scored 6 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist on 3 shots in 21 minutes.
Defensively, he couldn’t stop Oklahoma City’s big men from scoring, with Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein combining for 19 rebounds. Ayton performed well in the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets, especially on defense and rebounding, but has been relatively disappointing in this series.
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Marcus Smart 😀
Smart is another Laker whose performance throughout the series left a lot to be desired. In Game 4, he attempted eight shots but made just two and missed all four of his 3-point attempts. His inability to shoot from downtown allowed the Thunder to defend in the paint and near the free throw line while chasing the ball as Los Angeles players tried to drive into the paint.
He played 36 minutes in the game and scored 5 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 6 turnovers. Overall, he’s had a great season and is someone who can help the team next season and possibly beyond.
Rui Hachimura: A-/A
Unlike earlier games in the series, Hachimura didn’t have much of an impact early on. He only scored 4 points in the first half, but then he went back and gave Los Angeles a chance to win.
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He scored a dozen points in the third quarter to give Los Angeles the lead, and he continued to contribute in the final seconds. With 3 minutes and 10 seconds left in the game and the team trailing by 5 points, he hit a three-pointer. With less than two minutes left in the game and Los Angeles trailing by 6 points, Hachimura hit another three-pointer but was fouled, narrowing the gap to 2 points. Smart made a layup and the Lakers temporarily led 110-109.
However, Hachimura was involved in controversy with 12.2 seconds left in the game and the Lakers fell behind 113-110. For some reason, head coach J.J. Redick took him out of the game during a timeout in favor of big man Maxi Kleber, who sat out all night and played very little in the playoffs. Austin Reaves missed a quick three-pointer, and even though the Lakers didn’t need a three-pointer, fans will wonder why Redick was substituted.
Hachimura made 9 of 15 shots and 4 of 8 three-pointers, scoring 25 points, plus 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block.
Austin Reeves: A-
Just as Reeves had vultures circling his head after his poor performance in the playoffs, he responded and it was almost exactly what the Lakers needed on Monday.
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Reeves, who scored eight points in the first quarter and 15 in the first half, looked like his usual offensive self, which wasn’t the case in Game 1 or Game 3 of this series. He frequently attacked off the dribble, and while the Thunder were able to again pressure him with the ball and force eight turnovers, his offense was very efficient.
He made 8 of 16 shots, 3 of 7 three-pointers, and 8 of 9 free throws. He scored 27 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks.
LeBron James: B
James showed good leadership early in this game through his actions and overall performance. Although he scored 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting in the first half, he was active on both ends of the floor and grabbed 6 rebounds in the opening minutes.
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He contributed to the Lakers’ stable performance in the second half, scoring 24 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block on 8 of 18 shots. Is this his last game in a Lakers uniform?
Jackson Hayes: A
Hayes had a great night as he was very active around the basket on offense. Time and time again, he moved and cut deep inside to get open, finishing with 18 points on 6-for-8 shooting and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. In 27 minutes of play, he also grabbed 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block.
His one block came during a key exchange early in the fourth quarter when he denied Ajay Mitchell’s layup attempt. That block led to LeBron James’ fast-break layup, giving Los Angeles an 89-84 lead.
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Luke Kennard: D+/C-minus
The Lakers needed more help from Kennard in this game, which has been the case many times in the playoffs. In Game 4, he hit two of his five field goals in 24 minutes and hit one of his two attempts from downtown, finishing with 5 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.
According to multiple reports, the Lakers hope to re-sign Kennard this summer. The question is how much they have to spend to keep him.
Kleiber completed the controversial possession with 12.2 seconds left, while Vanderbilt and Tierro played three minutes each. All three were held scoreless and Vanderbilt only grabbed one rebound.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers player results: Season ends after Los Angeles gets swept by Thunder