The Lakers’ previous game against Utah Jazz ended on a massive note as they secured the first seed in the Western Conference. But tonight has been tough for the team against Chris Paul‘s army. Oklahoma City Thunder earned a king-sized victory over the Lakers with a huge margin of 105-86.
Chris Paul led Thunder to a significant win tonight
It was a wonderful night for Chris Paul, but it wasn’t a one-man show. The likes of Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams, and others put up a team effort out there to pull down the dominant LeBron James and Co.
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Thunder didn’t enter the contest with a full-fledged lineup. They were missing out on their starter, Dennis Schroder, since he was out for the birth of his child. Moreover, Terrence Ferguson also couldn’t make it to the game. Despite the empty slots in the team, Thunder put up an incredible performance.
Can Lakers make the playoffs count?
Chris Paul was a treat to watch. His threes and drive-ins were flawless at times and went on to score game-highest 21 points.
On the other hand, the Lakers failed in ways that were disappointing for the fans. They delivered a horrible shooting night from LeBron, Anthony Davis to any player on the roster. Since season restart, Lakers lead duo, LeBron and AD put up the lowest combined field goal percentage of 33.3%.
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LeBron posted 19 points in the game, most of which came in the second half. AD has been inconsistent in the bubble. After 42 points in the last game against Jazz, he recorded a single-digit score tonight.
Kyle Kuzma got some shots inside, but others were just failed attempts for the young man. Dion Waiters also found momentum only in the last quarter by the time nobody could help the Lakers to a win.
The Orlando Bubble saw predictable games turntables. Today Thunder won with a 19-point lead. If the Lakers continue this poor trend of weak shooting nights, will they survive the playoffs?
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Source: NBA Stats