EL SEGUNDO — Call it cliché.
An uphill climb. A David vs. Goliath matchup. A tale of historic-betting underdogs marching into battle against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA’s defending champions, while still without Luka Doncic.
The Lakers lost all four regular-season games against the Thunder, the last of which (on April 2) ended with Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined for the rest of the regular season and beyond with Grade 2 strains. The Thunder’s average margin of victory against the Lakers was nearly 30 points, as Oklahoma City walked over not just the Lakers, but the Western Conference, en route to a 64-18 record and the top seed in the playoffs.
Jake LaRavia, who played in all 82 games for the Lakers during the regular season, simply digressed when asked what the Lakers could have learned from the quartet of defeats.
“I feel like it was the same result pretty much every time we played ’em,” LaRavia said at practice on Sunday, two days before Tuesday’s 5:30 p.m. PT series opener at Paycom Arena.
The Lakers, who advanced out of the first round for the first time since 2023, will try to avoid the same result as they last time they won a series, when they reached the Western Conference finals before being swept by the Denver Nuggets in four games. Doncic remains out, with “no update” on his progress, Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
Based on how Redick was setting the stage on Sunday afternoon, the Thunder are an even more imposing challenge than those Nuggets, who went on to win the NBA title.
For teams that have back-to-back seasons with 10-plus marks in net ratings, only the 1990’s Chicago Bulls and the 2010’s Golden State Warriors fall into the same category as the Thunder – led by reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31.1 ppg and 6.6 assists per game) – over the last two seasons.
That’s dynasty territory.
“To me, the Thunder is one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history,” Redick said. “It’s just the reality. They’re that good. I think our guys recognize that and respect that, and we know what kind of task we have in front of us.”
Top-of-line priorities for the Lakers are clear and obvious against the Thunder, Redick said. Pure physicality. The Thunder have forced the second-most turnovers in the league, recorded the second-most steals and have held foes to just 107.9 points per game, the second-fewest points against mark in the league.
Oklahoma City hardly fouls – averaging just 19 fouls against and drawing 20-plus fouls per game – despite playing intense defense.
Redick called their defensive success, while not fouling at a higher margin, “one of the most remarkable things in NBA history.”
“They don’t foul,” Redick reiterated. “The whistles aren’t going to be there. Like you to accept that going in, they don’t foul.”
The Lakers did, however, draw more fouls (21) and commit fewer fouls (18.5) during the regular season than the Thunder.
When it comes to expectations – disregarding what the Thunder do so well – the Lakers have been down this road before. Just two weeks ago, the Lakers were coming off a stunning Game 1 victory against the Houston Rockets – priming a series of scrappy underdog flair that helped them build a 3-0 series lead.
Grabbing just one win, or even two, has been pre-determined as unlikely for the Lakers. The Thunder comfortably swept the Phoenix Suns in the first round – and will have been off for more than a week by the time Game 1 tips off on Tuesday.
Reaves, who returned for Game 5 in the first round before helping open up the Lakers’ offense in a series-clinching 98-78 Game 6 win on Friday, is embracing a mindset.
The Lakers, who just became the fourth team in 20 years to win all four of their first-round playoff games as the betting underdog, have already beaten the odds once this spring. Faced with a far loftier challenge, they will try to do it twice.
“You could say nobody thought we were going to get past Houston but everybody in this building believed,” Reaves said. “It’s the same mindset going into this. We obviously know the team that we’re about to face and how good they are and the problems that they can create for 48 minutes.”
LAKERS VS. THUNDER, SERIES SCHEDULE
Best-of-seven, second round, all times are PT
Game 1: Tues., May 5 – Lakers at Thunder, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2: Thurs., May 7 – Lakers at Thunder, 6:30 p.m.
Game 3: Sat., May 9 – Thunder at Lakers, 5:30 p.m.
Game 4: Mon., May 11 – Thunder at Lakers, 7:30 p.m.
x-Game 5: Wed., May 13 – Lakers at Thunder, TBD
x-Game 6: Sat., May 16 – Thunder at Lakers, TBD
x-Game 7: Mon., May 18 – Lakers at Thunder, TBD
x – if necessary
