LOS ANGELES – With a calm demeanor and measured voice, LeBron James reflected the mixed emotions surrounding the Lakers’ current predicament.
The Lakers suffered a 131-108 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on Saturday, overwhelmed by the defending champions’ deep bench. Yet they managed to keep the game close through relentless effort.
That left James and the entire organization wrestling with conflicting feelings about the team’s situation.
“I’m not angry or disappointed,” James said. “Obviously, you’re disappointed that we’re down 3-0. But we still got life. That’s all you can ask for. We have to be much better on Monday.”
The Lakers will host Game 4 against the Thunder at Crypto.com Arena. No NBA team has ever overcome a 3-0 series deficit. The Lakers themselves avoided such a collapse earlier this postseason, eliminating the Houston Rockets in six games after taking a 3-0 first-round lead. They’ve felt the stark difference between playing without Luka Dončić against the Rockets versus facing the Thunder.
Against Houston, the Lakers exploited a young team plagued by inconsistent play and injuries to Kevin Durant. Against the Thunder, they’ve learned that hustle and tactical adjustments barely dent a team with almost no weaknesses.
“The situation sucks. But that doesn’t give us a license to quit,” said Lakers guard Austin Reaves. “We got to come in here and compete. We owe the organization that. We owe the fans that. We’ll come in Monday and play as hard as we can.”
The Lakers deserve credit for their effort. Through three games, they’ve fought without their star player, battled through shooting slumps, and dealt with frustration over officiating. But for every improvement, another issue surfaces.
The Lakers improved their free-throw count from Game 2 (21) to Game 3 (25), while the Thunder only attempted 10. Yet James managed just four free throws, with his first trip to the line coming in the fourth quarter. The Lakers double-teamed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander enough to hold him to 23 points on 7-for-20 shooting, but Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell countered with a career-high 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting.
The Lakers shot 14-for-30 from three-point range, but Reaves struggled for the second time in three games, scoring only 17 points on 5-for-13 shooting from the field and 1-for-5 from deep.
The Lakers held a 59-57 halftime lead through ball movement, improved shooting, and hustle. But the Thunder dominated the third quarter (33-20) and fourth quarter (41-29), showcasing their offensive depth and defensive versatility. The Lakers also lost the rebounding battle (43-37) and turned the ball over 16 times.
“They’ve kicked our ass for three straight games. They’re an incredible basketball team,” said Lakers coach JJ Redick. “We’ve got to be better. But I’m not giving up on the series. We’re going to try to win on Monday. We’re going to try to extend the season.”