LeBron James Breaks Silence After Lakers Fall Behind Thunder 3-0

The Los Angeles Lakers are now one loss away from elimination after falling 131-108 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena. Despite taking a halftime lead for the second straight game in the series, the Lakers collapsed again in the second half as Oklahoma City moved ahead 3-0 in the series.

LeBron James addressed the loss afterward and acknowledged the Thunder’s depth and sustained energy while stressing that the Lakers still believe they have a chance to extend the series. Oklahoma City outscored Los Angeles 74-49 in the second half and dominated the third quarter again, continuing a trend that has defined the series.

“They’re pretty damn good from top to bottom,” James said postgame. “And they don’t let their foot off the gas.”

The Thunder shot 56 percent from the field and overwhelmed the Lakers with balanced scoring, even while reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 23 points on 7-of-20 shooting. Oklahoma City’s supporting cast again stepped up behind Chet Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, and Alex Caruso.

LeBron James Calls Out Lakers’ Third-Quarter Collapse Against Oklahoma City Thunder

GettyLos Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James

James pointed directly to the third quarter as the turning point in Game 3.

“I mean, obviously the third quarter, we’re starting with that,” James said. “We didn’t have the energy, the effort, and they put a 30-plus point quarter on us.”

Los Angeles entered halftime leading by one after strong first-half performances from Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard. However, Oklahoma City immediately took control after the break while forcing turnovers and converting easy transition opportunities.

“In that third quarter, we didn’t knock down shots,” James said. “We didn’t defend or get stops, I would say. We defended, but we didn’t get stops and allowed them to kind of take control of the game.”

The Lakers were outscored 33-20 during the quarter. James finished the period with just one made field goal, while Austin Reaves failed to score in the third period altogether.

James ended the game with 19 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, but shot just 7-for-19 from the field and finished with a minus-24 rating.

The Lakers committed 17 turnovers that led to 30 Thunder points. Oklahoma City also outscored Los Angeles 64-44 in the paint.

When asked about the frustration of falling behind 3-0, James remained measured in his response.

“I don’t want to say I’m not angry or disappointed,” James said. “Obviously, you’re disappointed in the simple fact of being down 3-0. But we still got life, and that’s all you can ask for. We’ve got to be much better on Monday.”

JJ Redick and LeBron James Praise Oklahoma City Thunder Depth

GettyLos Angeles Lakers Head coach JJ Redick and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James

Lakers coach JJ Redick echoed James’ comments after the loss and described Oklahoma City as one of the NBA’s elite teams.

“They’ve kicked our (butt) three straight games,” Redick said. “They’re an incredible basketball team.”

Redick previously compared the Thunder to some of the NBA’s dominant championship teams, including the 1990s Chicago Bulls and the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors. James said Oklahoma City’s versatility and depth continue to create major matchup problems throughout the series.

“They have the proper personnel to be able to shape-shift whatever you kind of put out there,” James said. “And still be productive no matter who’s on the floor.”

The Thunder have continued to win comfortably despite Gilgeous-Alexander’s inconsistent scoring. Holmgren remained dominant inside, while Mitchell delivered another major performance with 24 points and 10 assists.

James said Oklahoma City’s ability to sustain pressure is not surprising given the roster construction.

“You’ve seen them over the years,” James said. “They have a lot of bodies, and they’ve got a lot of guys that can do multiple things on the floor. It helps to have that depth.”

The Lakers continue playing without Luka Doncic, who remains sidelined because of a Grade 2 hamstring strain suffered in April. Without him, Los Angeles has struggled to maintain offensive consistency late in games.

Now facing elimination, James said the Lakers are focused only on Game 4, not on any larger questions about the future.

“Nah,” James said when asked whether the team discusses the possibility of this group playing together for the final time. “Just focus on the moment and go from there.”

Game 4 is scheduled for Monday night in Los Angeles, where the Lakers will attempt to avoid a sweep and extend the series back to Oklahoma City.

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