The Los Angeles Lakers lost Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 131-108, putting them one game away from elimination. Despite a brief lead at halftime, the Lakers struggled with turnovers and defensive rebounds, allowing the Thunder to dominate the second half.
Key points
Lakers lost Game 3 to Thunder, 131-108
Lakers are one game away from elimination
Lakers had 17 turnovers leading to 30 Thunder points
Thunder shot 56.4% from the field
Lakers led at halftime, 59-57
Los Angeles LakersOklahoma City Thunder
The Los Angeles Lakers returned home for Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday after losing the first two games of the series. They were hoping that a change of venue would help them get into this series and make things competitive.
Instead, Game 3 was almost like a replay of Game 2 on Thursday. Los Angeles stayed within range just enough early and ended the first quarter down by six, and it got hot from the outside in the second quarter and took a 59-57 lead at halftime. At that point, there was a trickle of hope that perhaps the team could get on the board with a victory.
Instead, the Thunder flexed hard in the third quarter and turned this contest into a laugher. They won the period 33-20 as L.A. went cold offensively, and they gradually built a large lead as the second half wore on. With a 131-108 loss, the Lakers are now one game away from elimination.
They lost this game because of their two familiar weaknesses. They turned the ball over 17 times, leading to 30 Oklahoma City points, and they also gave up 21 second-chance points on 12 Oklahoma City offensive rebounds. The Thunder shot 56.4% from the field and outscored Los Angeles by 20 in the paint, and in that decisive third period, Los Angeles had six turnovers.
Once again, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn't hurt L.A. much — he shot 7-of-20 and scored 23 points — but it was Ajay Mitchell who was a thorn in L.A.'s side. Mitchell, the University of California, Santa Barbara product, put up 24 points on 10-of-17 from the field, plus 10 assists and three steals. Twenty of his points came in the second half.
Q&A
What were the key reasons for the Lakers' loss in Game 3 against the Thunder?
The Lakers lost due to 17 turnovers leading to 30 points for the Thunder and allowing 21 second-chance points from offensive rebounds.
How did the Lakers perform in the first half of Game 3 against the Thunder?
The Lakers were competitive in the first half, leading 59-57 at halftime after a strong second quarter.
What was the score of the third quarter in Game 3 between the Lakers and Thunder?
The Thunder outscored the Lakers 33-20 in the third quarter, which was pivotal to the game's outcome.
What does the Lakers' loss in Game 3 mean for their playoff chances?
The loss puts the Lakers one game away from elimination in the Western Conference semifinals.
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Once again, Ayton just didn't provide the Lakers with enough production. He was able to string together three quick baskets early in the third quarter, but he scored just 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting and had six rebounds in 24 minutes. While he had one steal and one block, he didn't present enough resistance defensively in the paint, and he allowed Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein to combine for 30 points on 15-of-21 from the field.
Early in the fourth quarter, there was a sequence where Ayton looked flat-footed and seemed to give up one offensive rebound after another. He came out of the game shortly afterward with 8:54 left in the quarter, and he didn't return to the game. That stretch could stick out in the minds of many once the Lakers' season ends.
Smart didn't shoot as badly in this game as he did in his previous three games. He was 3-of-7 overall and made one of his two 3-point attempts, but his 10 points in 32 minutes simply weren't enough for a Lakers team that badly needed more offensive production and shot-making across the board.
He also didn't help much in other categories. He finished with three rebounds, three assists and one steal, and this was the type of game in which he needed to put forth a vintage performance.
Again, Hachimura was hot early, and he made sure the Lakers would be competitive in the first half with 16 points during that time. But he lost steam afterward. He was just 1-of-5 in the third quarter, and he scored just five points after halftime.
Overall, Hachimura had 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field and 5-of-8 from downtown, plus five rebounds, four assists and one steal in 39 minutes. If the Lakers are to win even one game in this series, he needs to do a better job of manufacturing points in the second half.
Reaves missed each of his first five shots in the first quarter. He was visibly upset with the referees again during the second quarter, but he started to get himself going with 11 points in that period. However, afterward, he went back to being ineffective, and he didn't score a single point in the third period. He was unable to get to the basket much, and when he did get into the restricted area, he didn't convert that often.
He ended up going 5-of-13 overall and 1-of-5 from 3-point land, although he was 6-of-8 from the free throw line, giving him 17 points. While he had nine assists, he also committed five turnovers, as the Thunder had success in pressuring his ball-handling, especially when he looked to drive downhill. The Thunder also went at him when he was on defense.
Other than his 31-point outburst in Game 2, Reaves hasn't played well for most of this postseason since returning from an oblique strain. One has to wonder if this could affect his future with the team this summer.
LeBron James: C
James shot just 4-of-12 in the first half. He had plenty of trouble converting in the paint, as Oklahoma City contested almost all such shot attempts, and as was the case with Reaves, he wasn't able to find that many passageways to the basket, nor did he look to attack in the open court.
The 41-year-old finished with 19 points on 7-of-19 from the field, eight assists, six rebounds and one steal.
Kennard certainly did his job in this game. For the first time since early in the first round versus the Houston Rockets, he was both aggressive and hot. The sharpshooting guard attempted 10 shots in 29 minutes, making seven of them, and he made four of his six 3-point tries, giving him 18 points. He also contributed two rebounds, two assists and one steal.
Hayes played just nine minutes, and it almost seemed as if he never even showed up to Crypto.com Arena. He scored one point on a free throw, didn't take a single shot attempt and only had two rebounds. That wasn't exactly the type of production the Lakers needed from him in such a crucial game.
Thiero had multiple short stints in this game that added up to 13 minutes, and he played with ample energy on both ends of the floor. He gobbled up a team-high eight rebounds, and he scored four points while going 1-of-3 from the field and making all three of his free throws.
The rookie forward may have provided the Lakers with a glimmer of hope for their future past this postseason, even though he's essentially a non-threat on offense at this point in his career.
All four men got onto the court for a few minutes in garbage time, and Kleber also played a little prior to that, giving him a total of eight minutes of playing time. The veteran big man had one rebound and one assist, and Knecht chipped in one rebound and two assists.
While Kleber and Knecht went scoreless, Smith scored six points and had one steal, while the younger James put up two points.
