T
he Los Angeles Lakers are back on their home turf to take on the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals.
The Lakers find themselves in a deep hole as the series shifts from Oklahoma City to Los Angeles.
Despite executing what many would consider a solid gameplan against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, the Lakers have been outscored by a whopping 36 points over the first two games.
To make matters worse, the Thunder are absolutely rolling into Game 3. They are 6-0 in the postseason and have won all but one game by double-digits.
History is not on the Lakers’ side.
The Thunder are undefeated in all-time series when they take a 2â0 lead. If that alone doesnât dent the Lakersâ confidence, history makes it even tougher. In more than 200 instances of teams falling behind 0-2, only a single-digit number have managed to come back and win the series.
L.A. may be on its home court for Saturday’s Game 3, but it faces a major uphill climb. Something will have to change.
Los Angeles Lakers to Make Major Gameplan Adjustment in Game 3
Sure, the Lakers were competitive for a solid chunks of the first two games. They still lost by nearly 20 points each time.
That means some major adjusting is needed.
GettyLos Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves
Ahead of Game 3, head coach JJ Redick spoke to reporters and revealed the Lakers will implement some changes to the rotation and, more notably, adjustments to their defensive approach on Gilgeous-Alexander.
Wrote team insider Dan Woike on X: “JJ Redick says the Lakers will look at different rotations/ different coverages in on SGA minutes.”
Will L.A. Survive?Â
Here it is. Effectively a last breath chance for the Lakers. Win and things get massively interesting — at least for one more game. Lose and the season is virtually over.
The Lakers are already in a position where all teams dread — especially against the defending champions. The reality is, the Lakers have to win four of the next five games to win this series.
They haven’t even beat the Thunder four times over the last two regular seasons.
GettyOklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James
Yes, L.A. deserves some applause for how it guarded Gilgeous-Alexander, but it just hasn’t mattered. At all.
Just when it felt like Game 2 was getting ready to swing in the Lakers’ favor — Gilgeous-Alexander picked up a fourth foul early in the third quarter, forcing him to the bench for double digit game minutes thereafter — the Lakers were pummeled by the Thunder’s bench.
Oklahoma City’s rising stars Cason Wallace and Jared McCain stiff armed the Lakers into defeat. Both guys, a pair of fresh-faced role players, tilted the game in their team’s favor and demonstrated to the world what an embarrassment of riches the Thunder possess.
Talk about enormous depth.
For the Lakers to win Game 3, they need to look beyond only containing Gilgeous-Alexander, they need to — somehow, someway — figure out a plan to prevent these bench-ignited Thunder storms.
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