The Los Angeles Lakers lost their lead in the second-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to a May 10 statement. The team has been outscored by significant margins in the second halves of all three games so far.
This development is notable because it marks a historic occurrence for the Lakers. They became the first team in NBA history to lead at halftime in back-to-back playoff games but lose both by a combined margin of over 40 points.
The Lakers managed to stay close with the Thunder during first halves, being outscored by only five total points across three games and leading at halftime in Games 2 and 3. However, they were outscored by a total of 54 points after halftime, resulting in losses each time. The Thunder’s depth and ability to maintain intensity throughout all four quarters have contributed to their success, while the Lakers have struggled particularly without top player Luka Doncic.
Head coach JJ Redick has tried different strategies against Oklahoma City, but once the Thunder increase their defensive pressure and force turnovers, they have consistently taken control of each game. LeBron James addressed these challenges after Game 3: “Well, I mean obviously the third quarter, we’ll start with that,” he said. “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. We had moments, obviously in the first half, that was really good for us.
“We did a good job of sharing the ball and knocking down shots. But that third quarter, we didn’t knock down shots. We didn’t defend or get stops, I would say. We defended, we didn’t get stops, and it allowed them to kind of take control of the game.”