Lakers Get Bad News After Thunder Take Game 2

The LA Lakers are now at a massive disadvantage against the OKC Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals. On Thursday night, the Lakers lost Game 2, 125-107, to give the Thunder a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. 

After the Thunder won, the Lakers got bad news. The Thunder has yet to lose a best-of-seven series when they get a 2-0 lead.

Since joining the league in 2006, the Thunder had been in a 2-0 lead 15 times and have yet to surrender them in the NBA playoffs. 

In Game 2, the Lakers kept MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the bench for a long stretch after picking up his fourth personal foul early in the second half. 

He finished the game with 22 points, shooting 7-of-13 from the field, along with two rebounds, and two assists and three turnovers. 

Just like in Game 1, the Thunder’s supporting cast carried the cudgels for the squad led by Chet Holmgren with 22 points and nine rebounds, and Ajay Mitchell with 20 points. Jared McCain also exploded for 18 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the 3-point line to provide an additional spark that doomed the Lakers in Game 2. 

Now, the Lakers head back to Los Angeles with a tall mountain to climb as they still deal with the absence of Luka Doncic, who is not expected to play in the series. 

Lakers Hold Gilgeous-Alexander To Subpar Game Once More But Could Not Get The Job Done

GettyShai Gilgeous-Alexander had a subpar Game 2.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was constantly double-teamed by the Lakers’ defense throughout the game once more. However, the Lakers have yet to find success in such a defensive scheme. 

The Thunder have executed superbly on the backline whenever SGA is double-teamed by the Lakers defense, generating open corner threes and wide-open looks inside. 

While the Lakers seemed to have control late in the second quarter, the team still could not sustain momentum as they continued to struggle against the Thunder’s feisty defensive stance. 

Austin Reaves bounced back from an atrocious eight-point outing in Game 1 with a 31-point performance in  Game 2, albeit still in a loss. He shot 10-of-16 from the field, and had six assists with five turnovers, dealing well with Cason Wallace’s perimeter pressure. 

LeBron James also had a strong performance for the Lakers in Game 2, putting up 23 points and six assists. 

No One Has Solve The OKC Puzzle So Far

GettyNo team has defeated the Thunder this playoffs.

With the gutsy Game 2 win, the Thunder remained undefeated in this year’s NBA playoffs, winning their last six games. 

The Thunder swept the Phoenix Suns in the first round before going 2-0 against the Lakers in this series. All that with Jalen Williams sidelined with a hamstring injury, which he picked up in Game 2 of Round 1 against the Suns. 

Additionally, the Thunder has only lost by a single digit once in the playoffs. It came in Game 4 against the Suns, when the Thunder won by nine points.

The Lakers will have to pull off the improbable in Game 3 in LA to steal one against the Thunder on Saturday, May 9. 

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