Thunder vs. Lakers: Game 3 TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread Info and More

One game after being blown out by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Los Angeles Lakers gave one away Wednesday night and find themselves heading back to L.A. in a 2-0 hole.

Give the Thunder credit for rallying back and making plays down the stretch, but the Lakers all but gift-wrapped things for Oklahoma City by failing to execute down the stretch. When Kobe Bryant needed to step up and lead the Lakers, he disappeared, not scoring a point the final 6:43 of the fourth quarter.

Now the Lakers have work to do, heading back to the Staples Center where they are 28-8 on the season (including playoffs).

Head coach Mike Brown must continue to make adjustments, and the players will have to execute.

One bit of good news was the adjustment on the defensive end. They adjusted their coverage on Oklahoma City's pick-and-roll, rotated well to force turnovers and held the high-octane Thunder to only 77 points in the process. Their adjustments may not have earned them the win, but their effort on that end was fantastic and kept the Lakers in the game.

They will need similar results in Game 3, but do they have enough left in the tank to counter the youthful energy of the Thunder?

Here's a look at everything you need to know for this pivotal Game 3.

When: Friday, May 18 at 10:30 p.m. ET

Where: Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: ESPN3

Betting Line: Lakers (-2.5)

Thunder Key Injuries (Per ESPN)

Day-to-Day: Kendrick Perkins (hip)

Lakers Key Injuries (Per ESPN)

No Key injuries Reported

What They're Saying

Kobe was not good down the stretch for the Lakers and played a big role in the defeat, not making a shot for the final 6:43 of the game and committing a costly turnover with 1:45 left.

ESPN's J.A. Adande takes a look at Kobe's recent failures in the clutch:

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This wasn't a case of Bryant playing his gastroenteritis-drained guts out and his teammates failing to match him, like Game 6 in Denver. This was a collective effort putting the Lakers in position to get the victory in Oklahoma City they need to win the series, and Kobe bobbling it away.

Kobe's past performances prohibit us from saying he never comes through in the clutch. But his recent history tells us it's been four years since he hit a game-winning shot in the playoffs, and the ledger is starting to pile up on the negative side. This is not about discussing the totality of his career. Not when there is the immediate task of competing for the 2012 championship at hand.

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Most Important Player to Watch: Kobe Bryant

It has to be Kobe.

He's struggling right now after getting off to a great start through the first five games of the playoffs. Bryant's scored 20 points of less in the Lakers' last three games and needs to come up with something big Friday night to get Los Angeles back in the series.

Key Matchup: Serge Ibaka vs. Andrew Bynum

I was tempted to go with Ramon Sessions vs. Russell Westbrook, but after getting next to nothing again from Sessions, I have little faith that he will make an impact in the series, so let's take the key matchup down into the paint.

Bynum has been the only consistent thing for the Lakers so far this series, averaging 20 points and 11.5 rebounds in the series. He needs to turn in one of the big efforts he's capable of giving in Game 3.

Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins and the rest of the Thunder big men need to do a better job of being physical with Bynum. Ibaka had seven blocks in Game 2 and will need another big defensive effort for Oklahoma City to come out with a win.

Prediction

Lakers 90, Thunder 89