The Thunder snapped the Lakers’ winning streak tonight despite being without the reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The game ended 119-110 as LeBron James and Austin Reaves combined for only 38 points tonight.
Following the game, LeBron James spoke to the media in the Lakers’ locker room, and when asked to compare their current roster to the Thunder, he scrutinized his own team.
“Made shots. Also, we had some really good looks in the fourth quarter. Just weren’t able to come through. They were able to make some, get to the 50-50 balls, and get some extra possessions. But sometimes it’s just ‘make or miss’ and they more than we did in the fourth,” said James when asked what made the difference tonight down the stretch for the Thunder.
James subsequently commended the Thunder for extending their defense, and players like Alex Caruso and Jalen Williams were being a menace to the players they were guarding.
“I thought we did a decent job trying to execute the way we wanted to, but like I said, s**t, we had a lot of great looks from the three-point line that didn’t go in, and around the rim as well,” James further added on what caused the game to slip away down the stretch.
“I think defensively, we were very good. In the first half, we let Isaiah Joe get way too many looks, especially in that first quarter, where he had 3 threes. We did not execute our switching lineups and let him step behind and get some threes.”
“For a majority of the second half, I thought we were really good. Defensively, we didn’t have that many lapses. Obviously, JDub hit a couple of shots late in the fourth, but we had bodies on bodies… I didn’t think the defense was the problem there.”
Essentially, it seems James was unhappy with the offensive execution specifically and not the defensive lapses that are usually the Lakers’ weaknesses.
“You want me to compare us to them? That’s a championship team right there; we’re not. We can’t sustain energy and effort for 48 minutes, and they can. That’s why they won a championship,” James concluded when asked about the gap between the Lakers and the Thunder.
James finished the game with 22 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds while shooting 9-17 from the field (52.9 FG%) and missing all of his four attempts from beyond the arc. But he was still arguably the Lakers’ best player tonight.
Austin Reaves had only 16 points, seven assists, and two rebounds while going 6-14 from the floor (42.9 FG%) and 1-5 from behind the three-point line (20.0 3P%).
The Lakers have struggled to remain healthy for a stretch this season. Reaves had returned from an extended absence due to a left calf strain just one game before the Lakers lost Luka Doncic to a hamstring injury against the 76ers.
It seems that the culmination of that with tonight’s loss has frustrated James to a certain point. The Lakers have fallen to 32-20 following this loss to the Thunder.
They host the Spurs tomorrow on the second night of a back-to-back set of games for the purple and gold. Subsequently, they will face the Mavericks on Thursday before heading into the All-Star break.
Meanwhile, the Thunder have improved to 41-13, ending a two-game losing skid without their star player. Jalen Williams’ return and Jaylin Williams’ clutch threes helped them cruise to a win tonight.
The defending champions are now headed to Phoenix to face the Suns on Wednesday, February 11, and host the Bucks at home on Thursday, February 12, before they head into the All-Star weekend as well.
