A Blog devoted to Lakers News, Commentary, and Analysis
Against a team as good as the Thunder, there is no margin for error. LeBron James discussed the attention to detail required for LA to have success against OKC before the series even began. So, when LA played Game 1 and had 18 turnovers, that didn’t exactly put them in a position for success. The […]
Well, that wasn’t a particularly encouraging loss. Despite facing a Thunder team coming off a week of rest, the Lakers were the ones who looked out of sorts for most of Tuesday’s Game 1 loss. While they didn’t trail by 30 at halftime — an improvement over the last two trips to Oklahoma City — […]
In the playoffs, rotations shrink, but perhaps Lakers head coach JJ Redick will have to open his up a bit. The Lakers had only eight players who logged at least 10 minutes and with so many subpar performances, someone else needed to be called upon. The Thunder had 10 players play more than 10 minutes […]
A nasty injury for Jarred Vanderbilt may have not just ruled him out for the game, but for an extended time. In the second quarter of Tuesday’s Game 1, Vando tried to block a fastbreak dunk attempt by Chet Holmgren and, in the process, smacked the backboard with his hand. He immediately doubled over in […]
A rough offensive night for the Lakers left them struggling to find enough scoring to keep up with the Thunder in Game 1 as they fell to OKC, 108-90. After a fast start to the contest, LA trailed OKC for the final three quarters. However, the lead would ebb and flow as the purple and […]
From Luke Kennard’s Game 1 performance, to Marcus Smart’s offensive surge in Game 2, to Deandre Ayton’s play in Game 6, there were so many great moments for the Lakers during their series win over the Rockets. While LA’s victory lap has to come to an end as they prepare to face the Thunder in […]
Eliminating the Thunder from the playoffs is no easy task. Last year, no one could do it. This season, they have yet to lose, much less even flirt with the idea of being eliminated. The Lakers are well aware of the challenge at hand as they begin their series against OKC. They understand that a […]
After a pair of frustrating first round exits in recent years, the Lakers exorcised some demons in a cathartic win over the Rockets. Awaiting them now, though, is the best team in the NBA in the Thunder. To say the Lakers had limited success against OKC in the regular season would be an understatement. In […]
The Lakers and the Sonics/Thunder have plenty of history between them in the playoffs throughout the decades. LA has had memorable battles in both Seattle and Oklahoma City with title-winning teams picking up wins en route to the Finals. Let’s look back before moving forward and take a Dip in the Lake with the Sonics/Thunder […]
The second round series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder begins on Tuesday on the latter’s home court. Start time and TV schedule Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder When: 5:30 p.m. PT, May 5 Where: Paycom Center Watch: NBC, Peacock In the Lakers’ first round series against the Houston Rockets, pretty much […]
With the first round complete, these are going to be the matchups for the second round of the playoffs. Eastern Conference Semi- Finals (1) Detroit vs. (4) Cleveland (2) New York vs. (7) Philadelphia Western Conference Semi-Finals (1) Oklahoma City vs. (4) Los Angeles (2) San Antonio vs. (6) Minnesota My Predictions Eastern Conference Cleveland […]
As normal, it’s been a while since we’ve had a mailbag. And I won’t make any promises of it returning with any regularity, particularly with the chaotic schedule coming up for the Lakers this series, but let’s have some fun and ask some questions! We’re going to have a quick turnaround on this one with […]
The injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves seemed like they’d end the Lakers’ season prematurely. Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard had other ideas. While LeBron James has temporarily returned as the head of the Lakers snake, he needed a few members of his supporting cast to step up in a big way. Smart and […]
I may not be very good at it, but I love chess. Not to the level that I love basketball, the NBA, or the Lakers, but it’s not too far off! The strategy, the tactical decisions, the way every player seems to have their own style and approach that forces you to play them as […]
In the Thunder’s last series, Suns guard Devin Booker had a bit of a crash out while airing his grievances over officiating and, specifically, with James Williams, who Lakers fans will be familiar with. There shouldn’t be any similar remarks from the Lakers this round, though, because, according to Lakers head coach JJ Redick, the […]
The Lakers aren’t alone in having been without a star player due to a hamstring strain in their upcoming playoff series. During the Thunder’s first round series with the Suns, Jalen Williams exited Game 2 with a hamstring strain, a sight purple and gold faithful are certainly familiar with. After the game, Williams was diagnosed […]
Averaging 20.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, Alpern Şengün was the most impactful player for the Rockets against the Lakers this postseason. So, slowing him down and disrupting what makes him effective became critical for the Lakers in Game 6. In previous contests, the Lakers tried to double Şengün, which led him to find […]
There are two ways a team can lose to end the season: graciously and how the Rockets went out. With the result sealed for pretty much the whole fourth quarter, Houston had plenty of time to make a few questionable decisions. And to be fair, it was less the Rockets as a whole and more […]
The Lakers may have just extended their season by at least four games by advancing to the second round, but it does not mean a return for Luka Dončić is imminent. In fact, it sounds like he’s pretty far away from getting back on the court. During Friday’s Prime broadcast of Game 6, sideline reporter […]
As the Lakers were beginning their beatdown of the Rockets in Game 6 on Friday, the Raptors were helping them in a very dramatic way. In the final seconds of overtime in Toronto, RJ Barrett channeled his inner Tyrese Haliburton and connected on a three to force a Game 7 against the Cavaliers. For a […]
In most circumstances, advancing out of the first round is hardly a celebratory situation, particularly for a Lakers franchise with banners aplenty hanging. It should be little more than the first of a string of checkpoints on the way to raising the Larry O’Brien trophy. But the win over the Rockets was not a normal […]
After a hard-fought series against the Rockets, the Lakers will move into the second round against an even more daunting opponent in the Thunder. The cream of the crop for the entire season, Oklahoma City’s sweep of the Suns in the first round means the Thunder have been patiently waiting for their next foe. It […]
After blowing the opportunity to end the series in Game 5, the Lakers, on one day’s rest, came out determined to end the young and hungry Houston’s season Friday night. With a Game 7 looming, a Lakers defensive masterclass combined with offensive ineptitude from Houston led to just 31 first-half points for the Rockets, giving […]
All season long, when faced with adversity, the Lakers have responded. When LeBron James missed the first 14 games due to sciatica, LA went 10-4 in his absence. After both Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves went down late in the season, the Lakers fought hard to keep the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference. […]
There will be no Game 7. After dropping consecutive closeout games that simultaneously put the series in jeopardy and gave the Rockets real momentum, the Lakers took care of business in Game 6, dominating the Rockets and leaving no doubt on who the better team was with a 98-78 victory. The Lakers have now punched […]