OKLAHOMA CITY — The Los Angeles Lakers absorbed a 121-92 drubbing from the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night, and guard Luka Doncic immediately accepted responsibility for the one-sided result.
Playing at Paycom Center on Nov. 12, 2025, the Thunder seized control from the opening tip, building a 32-point halftime cushion and extending it to 36 after three quarters. Doncic struggled against Oklahoma City’s pressure, finishing with 19 points on 7-for-20 shooting, seven assists and four turnovers.
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 30 points on 10-of-18 shooting while handing out nine assists. Rookie guard Cason Wallace drew praise from Doncic for his work on the defensive end.
Doncic: “It Starts With Me”
“It definitely wasn’t our best game — probably one of the worst this season,” Doncic told Spectrum SportsNet postgame. “They did a great job; I think Wallace did a great job on me. They’re champions for a reason, and they showed that today. It starts with me. I need to be way better than that.”
The 26-year-old rejected the idea that the lopsided defeat signals deeper problems for Los Angeles, calling the performance “big motivation” rather than a cause for concern. “It’s the start of the year, even better,” he said. “It’s motivation to see how they play and try to stop them.”
Next Meeting in February
Wednesday’s matchup was one of the Lakers’ first tests against a fellow Western Conference contender. The two clubs will not meet again until Feb. 9, 2026, giving Los Angeles nearly three months to address the issues exposed in Oklahoma City.
Reaves Struggles as Well
Austin Reaves also endured a difficult night, supplying 13 points, five rebounds and three assists on 4-of-12 shooting in 30 minutes. After the wire-to-wire loss, Reaves offered a blunt assessment of where things went wrong, citing defensive lapses and overall energy.
Los Angeles will look to regroup before continuing its road trip, aiming to translate Wednesday’s humbling experience into the improvement Doncic insists is coming.
Source: Lakers Nation
