The Los Angeles Lakers faced the Oklahoma City Thunder three times this season and lost all three matchups by an average margin of roughly 29 points.
Now, the two teams are set to meet in a seven-game second-round playoff series after the Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 98–78 on Friday night to close out their first-round series, led by LeBron James.
Following the win, James offered a detailed assessment of the Thunder, highlighting both their defensive pressure and star power, including MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“Obviously we’re playing against the defending champions. So my early scout — we’ll get into it in a couple of days — but obviously it’s the defending champ,” James said. “One thing you have to do is protect the ball versus those guys. They play physical, handsy defense. If you allow them to get a lot of pick-sixes and ignite their transition game, it fuels their team.
“We know the head of the snake, possible back-to-back MVP for SGA. We’ll scout them. They’re a really well-equipped team. It’s not just SGA — we know he’s the head honcho, but it trickles down from the starting lineup to the bench. We have a full plate once again, but we’ll be ready for the challenge.”
More news: Charles Barkley Exposes Celtics Biggest Flaw Ahead of Pivotal Game 7 vs. 76ers
More news: Bones Hyland Fuels Timberwolves-Nuggets Rivalry With Message After Game 6
The Lakers are expected to enter the matchup at a potential disadvantage against Oklahoma City, with superstar Luka Doncic not likely to be ready by the start of the series on Tuesday.
That would leave James and guard Austin Reaves carrying a heavy offensive load against a Thunder team that also may be short-handed, as Jalen Williams is dealing with a grade 1 hamstring strain and is listed as week-to-week.
More news: Dyson Daniels Calls Out Mitchell Robinson After Hawks-Knicks Scuffle
Read the full article here
