THE Lakers will continue their six-game homestand Monday when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder. This will be the Lakers’ 62nd game of the season, meaning they have 19 more games left to fight for a favorable spot in the Western Conference standings.
Start time and TV schedule
WHO: the Los Angeles Lakers against the Oklahoma City Thunder
When: 7:30 p.m. PT, March 4
Or: Crypto.com Arena
Watch: NBA TV, Spectrum Sportsnet
The Lakers disheartening loss to the Denver Nuggets On Saturday, they missed an opportunity to climb the Western Conference standings. With the Phoenix Suns lose against Houston Rockets the same day, in addition to the two Warriors of the Golden State And Dallas Mavericks Failing to pick up wins of their own on Sunday, the Lakers could have been three games back of the fifth seed, but unfortunately their recent loss kept them at the 10th seed, behind everyone else.
It’s been that kind of season for the Lakers where they just can’t seem to get over the hump. This is the exact opposite of the trajectory of this young and upcoming OKC Thunder team, who are currently enjoying being the top seed in the Western Conference with a 41-18 record.
If the Thunder stays at the top of the conference while the Lakers stay 10th and advance past the play-in tournament, there is a good chance that these two teams will see each other in the first round of the playoffs. Obviously, there are still 19 games left and a lot can happen in the span of a month and a half, but if things progress the way they are, Monday’s game against the Thunder could very well be a preview of what awaits us. playoffs.
The Lakers have already won twice against the Thunder this season, both at home and away. They have the chance to win the seasonal series on Monday. The purple and gold will also have the advantage of rest in this one as they face an OKC team that will be on the second night of a back-to-back. The ideal scenario for the Lakers is the Thunder beat the Suns on Sunday then lose to Los Angeles on Monday and we’re halfway there after an OKC win against Phoenix.
But for the Lakers to truly control their fate in this game, it would be best if they got an early start. That’s what they did during their last meeting against the Thunder, which they limited to just 105 points.
Los Angeles won this game by limiting the league’s best 3-point shooting team to 30.6% and handily winning the paint battle against them (64-44). It would also be nice if they did the same while strengthening their defense against Jalen Williams who dropped 25 points against them last game. The Lakers have done a good job limiting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren in their last two games, so I hope that continues on Monday.
What I personally want the Lakers to do in this one is win the defensive rebounding battle, which Darvin Ham said was a big reason they lost to the Nuggets last Saturday. As I reiterated in my recent overview, the Lakers have struggled rebounding the ball since losing Jarred Vanderbilt to injury. Apparently the Thunder are worse than them in this department, here is the opportunity for the Lakers to transform their weakness into their strength.
Remember, this Thunder team had 21 second chance points against them last time out thanks to their 13 offensive rebounds, which is too high for a team that currently ranks 26th in the league in rebounds per game.
The Lakers’ overall success in this one will depend on how well they contain the Thunder and if they do it like they did in their last two games against them, then there’s a good chance the Lakers can make a statement – a statement that should send a message. warning that they can pose a matchup problem against the Thunder if they actually meet in the playoffs.
Let’s see if the Lakers can do just that as they hope to get back in the winning column on Monday.
Notes and updates:
- The Lakers will have the advantage of rest in this one, but note that the Thunder are 7-3 on games they play on the second night of a back-to-back. They are still very good and have not slowed down all season. They are one of the few teams to rank in the top five in both offense and defense.
- For the Lakers injury report, Anthony Davis (bilateral Achilles tendinopathy) and Cam Reddish (sprained right ankle) are probable.
- LeBron James (left ankle peroneal tendinopathy) is listed as questionable while Jarred Vanderbilt (right foot pain), Christian Wood (left knee effusion) and Gabe Vincent (left knee surgery) and Collin Castleton (right wrist fracture ) are all absent.
- The Thunder haven’t released a report on this one yet since they play back to back, but for what it’s worth, only Jaylin Williams (knee) was ruled out during their game against the Suns.
You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglanI
