Monday night turned out to be a rough one for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Facing off against the Los Angeles Lakers, they suffered a disappointing 116-104 loss, relinquishing their hold on the top seed in the Western Conference.
The Thunder struggled collectively on offense, posting one of their worst shooting performances of the season with only 39.4% accuracy from the field. Despite decent shooting from beyond the arc at 38.5% and near-perfect free throw shooting, they faltered in the paint, losing the rebound battle 55-38.
Even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, amid an MVP-worthy season, had a subpar game, despite filling up the stat sheet with 20 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks.
The Lakers’ trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and D’Angelo Russell dominated, combining for 69 points and giving the Thunder trouble all game long. Davis’s presence in the paint stifled any momentum Oklahoma City tried to build.
While the Thunder initially took a 13-2 lead, the Lakers fought back to tie the game 25-25 by the end of the first quarter, capitalizing on Gilgeous-Alexander’s slow start.
In the second quarter, Oklahoma City struggled offensively, allowing the Lakers to go on an 8-2 run and build a lead that reached 52-43 by halftime.
The third quarter didn’t offer much improvement, as the Thunder fell behind by 17 points, setting the stage for a difficult fourth quarter.
Russell’s three consecutive three-pointers early in the final quarter sealed the Lakers’ victory, leaving little doubt about the outcome. The remainder of the game served as garbage time, ending Oklahoma City’s recent success on a disappointing note.
Next up, the Thunder will face the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, March 6, hoping to bounce back from this defeat.