Thunder draw back from Lakers once more to take 3-0 sequence lead: ‘They’ve kicked our ass 3 straight video games’

It would be the Oklahoma City Thunder within the Western Conference finals, barring probably the most stunning comeback within the historical past of the NBA.

With a 131-108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Thunder took a 3-0 lead on Saturday and stay undefeated by seven postseason video games. They are 27-1 for the reason that begin of February in video games Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has performed.

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They go for the sweep Monday in Los Angeles (10:30 p.m. ET, Prime Video). No NBA group has ever come again from a 3-0 sequence deficit.

The Lakers at the very least put up a combat for the primary half in entrance of their house crowd, going back-and-forth and getting into halftime with a two-point lead, 59-57. They misplaced management when OKC opened the third quarter with a 21-6 run, received the deficit again down to 5 factors late within the third, after which the Thunder hit the gear solely the Thunder are able to hitting.

LA merely seemed gassed by the tip, as if it had been taking part in one of the best group within the NBA with out its most vital participant for 3 straight video games. The Lakers waved the white flag by emptying their bench with 3:38 remaining within the sport.

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The Thunder outscored them 74-49 within the second half.

Once once more, the Lakers succeeded in stopping an otherworldly sport from Gilgeous-Alexander (23 factors on 7-of-20 capturing), however OKC’s deep supporting solid once more made {that a} non-issue. Six different gamers scored in double figures, and the group collectively shot 56.4% from the sector and 44.7% from deep, with 9 whole turnovers.

There’s no telling how this sequence would have gone down had Luka Dončić been wholesome (or Thunder star Jalen Williams for that matter), however the precise consequence has been as anticipated. The Lakers have pushed the Thunder at instances, however by no means sufficient throughout a whole sport. Every loss has been by double-digits.

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As Lakers head coach JJ Redick put it with reporters after the game:

“They’ve kicked our ass three straight games. They’re an incredible basketball team.”

Counting the common season, the Lakers are actually 0-7 towards the Thunder this season with a mean scoring margin of 25.4 factors. The closest loss has been by 9 factors. The solely sport through which the Lakers had been really wholesome initially of the sport was the April 2 date when Dončić and Austin Reaves each received harm.

Maybe there’s a turnaround nonetheless to come back. The means the Lakers seemed within the fourth quarter didn’t encourage confidence.