LeBron James says Lakers ‘know what Thunder can do’ after 43-point loss
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The Los Angeles Lakers exited Paycom Center on Thursday night with a lopsided 139-96 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a game that left veteran forward LeBron James focused on the road ahead rather than the blowout behind.
James scored 13 points and Austin Reaves added 15, but Los Angeles never led and trailed by double digits less than seven minutes in. The Thunder converted eight early Lakers turnovers into 14 points to build a cushion that ballooned to 43 by the final horn.
“They beat the s— out of us tonight, obviously from the start,” James said on Spectrum SportsNet. “Our mindset should be about Dallas and not OKC—that’s our next matchup—and then we’ll get to them. But yeah, we understand and know what they’re capable of.”
Thunder’s defense sets the tone
James credited Oklahoma City’s roster construction for the Lakers’ struggles, citing the Thunder’s length and aggressive perimeter defense.
“They have multiple wing defenders, multiple guys that can get up in the ball. They try to speed you up as much as they can; they’ve got great hands, great length,” he said. “It’s hard versus a team like that when you’re giving them pick-sixes.”
The Lakers had not faced a top-tier defense in their previous four games, and James acknowledged the adjustment curve. He also noted that Oklahoma City played without guard Alex Caruso, another key defender.
“They’re the defending champs. We expected nothing less; we just didn’t combat that,” he added.
Injury adds to Lakers’ concerns
The night grew worse for Los Angeles when Luka Doncic left with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. The injury timeline was not announced, but James said his own responsibilities would shift if Doncic misses extended time.
Despite February comments in which James called the Thunder a “championship team” while labeling the Lakers otherwise, a potential postseason meeting would only occur in the Western Conference Finals given current seeding.
The Lakers continue their road trip in Dallas, where James expects the focus to sharpen. “When we get to that point, we’ll address [Oklahoma City],” he said, “but we have another game first.”
Source: Lakers Nation
