I think last night was the first time this season the Lakers fans thought they could win it all. The Thunder might’ve won 9 of 10 entering into their clash, but a 126-99 showing speaks volumes of LA’s performance. Their mission objective was clear- capitalizing on the fact that OKC didn’t need this victory. And JJ Redick‘s men did just that.
Ex-Lakers guard Lou Williams spoke highly of the locker room sticking to that objective on Fan Duel TV. “I thought they did what they were supposed to do. You know, you’re a game and a half and third, you’re sitting pretty, you know, and you’re looking back, you see four teams with a tie from five to eight, it can get tricky. So they were a team that they realized they were in third place and they need to stay in third place… So I thought they went out and took care of business and they got a good production from the top three guys they were supposed to get it from.”
As Lou mentioned, the big three of the Lakers were on show yet again. A MOTM show from Luka Doncic saw him come up with 30/7/6 showing. Meanwhile, Austin Reaves and LeBron James contributed 20/3/2 and 19/3/7 respectively. Defending arguably the best attack in the league was anticipated to be a daunting task for a shaky Lakers defense. But their ability to guard the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren proved to be the winning factor at the Paycom Center.
The Lakers DOMINATED the Thunder in OKC
“The Lakers realized they’re in third place and need to stay in third place.” – @TeamLou23
“That game meant everything to the Lakers and it meant nothing to the Thunder. It showed.” – @ChandlerParsons pic.twitter.com/k5wbDHTP33
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) April 7, 2025
The fact that it wasn’t a labored win will sit well with the Showtime fanbase. Teams have been scratching their heads all season long, trying to find the recipe to put the Thunder down once and for all. Well, JJ Redick’s masterclass last night might have just exposed their weakness to the rest of the league for good.
JJ Redick’s Lakers show the other 29 teams how it’s done against the Thunder
The game last night was the first of a double-header. OKC’s quality this season has proved that a loss can just be written as a one-off. But the game last night might’ve done more damage that they’d liked, as Chandler Parsons talked about a potential kryptonite in the Thunder‘s machine.
“This is the kind of wind that you want to see towards in the season where you start your, your peaking, you’re going up, you’re, playing, you’re starting to play your best basketball of the year…. All around full game for the Lakers defensively holding that team, you know, under a hundred points, not letting SGA get to the free throw line one time. I don’t care that they’re not playing for anything. That is impressive. That is a statement game.”
This has been the talking point of Shai’s season so far. Despite a historic season, he’s been labeled as the league’s ‘free throw merchant’. Despite a 26/3/9 scoreline, SGA’s FT% dropped from a ridiculous average 90% to 0% last night. He might deserve to be the MVP this season, but if guarding him away from the FT line is the way to go, Mark Daigneault has a long way to go before having championship aspirations.
Dec 12, 2021; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault talks with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) between plays against the Dallas Mavericks in the second half at Paycom Center. Dallas won 103-84. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
All eyes will be on the second of the two-fer at the Paycom Center tomorrow night. JJ Redick seems to have hacked it against OKC, which could prove vital in a potential Western Conference finals clash. Can the Lakers repeat the same magic come Tuesday night?
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