Lakers Fall to Thunder for 2nd Time as LeBron James Sits with Abdominal Injury
The Oklahoma City Thunder proved last week's comeback victory was no fluke, topping the Los Angeles Lakers once again 107-104 at Staples Center. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 28 points as Oklahoma City improved to 2-6.
The Thunder overcame a 26-point first-half deficit to shock the Lakers on Oct. 28 for their first win of the season.
The Lakers, who fell to 5-4 and had their three-game winning streak snapped, were playing without star forward LeBron James as he is expected to miss at least a week with an abdominal strain. Anthony Davis had 29 points and 18 rebounds in the loss.
Notable Player Stats
G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC: 28 points
F Anthony Davis, LAL: 29 points, 18 rebounds
G Russell Westbrook, LAL: 27 points
Thunder's Balanced Scoring Wears Down Lakers
The Thunder got contributions from some unexpected places. In all, six players scored in double figures for Oklahoma City to give Gilgeous-Alexander some much-needed help.
Gilgeous-Alexander continued his hot start to the season with another efficient performance both inside and outside.
But it was Oklahoma City's supporting cast that made the difference. After being held scoreless in the last game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Ty Jerome and Kenrich Williams came off the bench to score 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Lu Dort had 17 points, Darius Bazley added 14 points and Derrick Favors had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Muscala also had two key buckets in the fourth quarter and finished with six points.
The Thunder have struggled against nearly every opponent besides the Lakers. Four of their six losses have come by double figures. But Oklahoma City's performances against Los Angeles prove it can compete against top teams in the West.
While wins will likely remain hard to come by for the Thunder this season, the balanced effort they had on Thursday night will lead to occasional upsets.
Lakers Lack Discipline Without LeBron
The Lakers once again struggled against a young Thunder team. A common thread in both their matchups against Oklahoma City is that LeBron James didn't play.
Without their floor general on the court, the Lakers wasted a big first-half lead once again as the Thunder came back from 19 points down. Los Angeles got away from the things that helped build the lead on both ends of the floor.
Davis was aggressive to start the game, hitting his first seven shots and finishing the first quarter with 14 points.
But Davis only scored four points on five field-goal attempts in the second quarter. He appeared to hurt his right hand before halftime but returned in the third quarter with a wrap on his thumb.
Russell Westbrook also failed to match his aggression from previous games. He had an inefficient night, shooting 10-of-23 with four turnovers.
Oklahoma City frustrated the Lakers simply by hanging around and making the game more competitive than it should have been. Los Angeles center DeAndre Jordan had a technical in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter didn't start out any better as Lakers coach Frank Vogel seemed to be experimenting with his rotation at the wrong time.
Both games against the Thunder have been surprising examples of a lack of discipline and focus from a veteran Lakers team. Los Angeles had the chance to put the game away early in both meetings but couldn't hold off a comeback in either.
The Lakers will surely miss the presence of James while he's sidelined. But a team as experienced as this should not have struggled twice against a team as youthful as the Thunder. Los Angeles has some things to figure out to sustain its status as a top contender in the Western Conference.
What's Next?
The Thunder will enjoy a few days off and look to keep the momentum going on Sunday at home against the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers will look to bounce back on Saturday in a road tilt vs. the Portland Trail Blazers.
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