The Lakers’ second-round series against the Thunder is transitioning away from the Paycom Center, which is renowned for its intense atmosphere.
This change might actually benefit the Lakers’ role players.
Facing a formidable Thunder squad with considerable depth, the Lakers will need contributions from all their players.
What has been the key advantage for the Thunder in this matchup?
It’s about bench points.
In the first game, the Thunder’s bench outperformed the Lakers’ reserves 34-15. The following game saw this gap widen to 48-24.
To put it simply, the Thunder have players stepping up more consistently than the Lakers, which is crucial in playoff scenarios.
On a positive note, the Lakers have managed to contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, last season’s MVP, who averaged a remarkable 33.7 points per game in the previous round, yet he’s only hitting about 20 points in this series.
However, the challenge for the Lakers is akin to playing a whack-a-mole game. In the first game, Chet Holmgren shined with 24 points and 12 rebounds, and in the second, he, along with Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell, each scored over 20 points.
Aside from LeBron James, many Lakers seem to struggle offensively during different stretches of these games.
Austin Reeves had a quiet eight points in Game 1, but turned it around with a game-high 31 points in Game 2, shooting 10-of-16.
Deandre Ayton managed only three points on 1 of 7 shooting in Game 2, while Luke Kennard struggled too, hitting just 1 of 4 field goals in Game 1. Jake LaRavia hasn’t made a significant impact, and Marcus Smart has been notably quiet offensively after making some noise in the first round. Meanwhile, Jackson Hayes also hasn’t had much influence.
Rui Hachimura has been relatively steady, scoring 18 points in one game and 16 in the other. But besides him, the support from the bench has been lacking.
If the Lakers’ role players could emerge as threats, it might relieve some pressure off James and Reaves, both of whom are trying to carry the team while Luka Doncic is out with a hamstring issue.
The Thunder have consistently showcased one of the league’s strongest defenses over the past two years. For the Lakers to succeed, they need more from their role players, whether starting or coming off the bench.
They’ve got to establish themselves as a scoring threat—otherwise, the defense will just collapse on James, which would make it tough for Reaves.
Currently, the Lakers are in a tough spot, down 2-0 in the series. They lost both games by 18 points, though the actual games felt less lopsided than the scores may suggest.
In Game 1, they jumped to a 7-0 lead but only led by eight points at halftime. Game 2 saw them stay close for most of the match until the Thunder pulled ahead in the fourth quarter.
Now, the Lakers will return to their home court—a place they’ve learned well over 41 regular-season games.
If their role players can rise to the occasion, there’s a chance for the Lakers to get back into this series.
