The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-104 on Tuesday night, thanks to a dominant third quarter performance. The Lakers outscored the Thunder 37-29 in the third period, extending their lead to 19 points and never looking back. The Lakers improved to 46-14, while the Thunder fell to 25-36.
D’Angelo Russell leads the way for the Lakers
The Lakers were led by D’Angelo Russell, who scored 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. Russell also added six assists, four rebounds, and two steals. He was the catalyst for the Lakers’ offense, as he scored 14 points in the third quarter alone.
LeBron James had a quiet night by his standards, as he finished with eight points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds. He did not attempt a single free throw and shot 4-of-12 from the field. However, he did not need to force the issue, as he had plenty of help from his teammates.
Anthony Davis had 12 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks, while Kai Havertz chipped in with 14 points and six rebounds. Declan Rice and Ben White also scored in double figures, with 13 and 10 points respectively. The Lakers shot 51% from the field, 47% from three, and 72% from the line.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander topscores for the Thunder
The Thunder were led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting, along with four assists and three rebounds. Gilgeous-Alexander was the only Thunder player to score more than 15 points, as he tried to keep his team in the game.
Chet Holmgren, the rookie sensation, had a disappointing night, as he scored only seven points on 3-of-11 shooting, along with six rebounds and three blocks. He struggled to deal with the physicality and length of the Lakers’ frontcourt, as he missed several shots around the rim.
The Thunder’s bench also failed to provide much spark, as they combined for only 28 points. The Thunder shot 39% from the field, 38% from three, and 94% from the line.
Lakers maintain second spot in the West
The Lakers maintained their second spot in the Western Conference, behind the Utah Jazz, who have a 48-13 record. The Lakers have a comfortable lead over the third-placed Phoenix Suns, who have a 41-20 record. The Lakers are aiming to repeat as champions, after winning the title in 2020.
The Thunder, on the other hand, are in the 13th spot in the West, ahead of only the Houston Rockets and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Thunder are in a rebuilding mode, after trading away several of their veterans in the past few seasons. The Thunder have a bright future, however, as they have several young talents and a plethora of draft picks.
The Lakers and the Thunder will meet again on April 9, in the second leg of their quarter-final series. The Lakers will look to close out the series, while the Thunder will try to pull off an upset.