Lakers demoralized by Thunder in blowout Game 3 loss, fall to 0-3 in series

The Lakers' 55% (11 for 20) shooting display from 3 in the first half plummeted to just one for five in the third quarter.

A 15-6 third-quarter run was the start of a deflating collapse by the Lakers as the Thunder would go on to outscore the Lakers 33-20 in the quarter.

"We didn't have the energy, the effort and they put a thirty-plus point quarter on us. That kinda took care of the game right there, honestly," said LeBron James, who had 19 points. "That third quarter, we didn't knock down shots. We didn't defend or get stops."

But who and what were the causes?

The turnovers, which have plagued the Lakers all throughout the playoffs, were a major cause as they began to pile on. L.A. turned the ball over six times in the quarter alone after only nine at halftime.

And who? Not Chet Holmgren, who had 18 points, not even MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 23 points, but Ajay Mitchell.

Mitchell diced up and gut-punched the Lakers' defense, finishing with a game-high 24 points with 10 assists as he scored 18 of his points in the second half.

"They’re a connected group that their pieces fit basically perfect. So, it’s tough to beat them," said Austin Reaves, who had 17 points.

The Lakers' 16 total turnovers would be the lowest they've had all series, but how much they gave up would be their highest, with 30 points surrendered to the Thunder off of their mistakes.

James (three) and Austin Reaves (five) combined for eight of the team's turnovers.

But Rui Hachimura was the team's leading scorer with 21 points, as his hot start from 3, going four for four, was the main impact on their short-lived second-quarter run.

The Thunder went on to outscore the Lakers 55-35 in the entire second half, reaching their largest lead in the fourth (27) and showing why they're the defending champions as the Lakers continue to live life in the series without Luka Dončić, whose status still remains uncertain.

L.A. now looks to avoid its first playoff sweep since 2023, having lost to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

The series remains in L.A. for Game 4 on Monday (7:30 p.m.) as the Lakers look to avoid a four-game sweep and keep their season alive.