The Lakers are currently in a tough spot, trailing the Thunder in the second round of their playoff series. There are several factors at play here.
First off, the depth of the Thunder’s bench really stands out. In the first two games, their reserves outscored the Lakers significantly, 82-39.
Another noteworthy point is that Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t participate in the first couple of games but still managed to help the team put up a combined 22-point lead in just 33 minutes of play.
The Lakers also struggled with ball control, with the Thunder capitalizing on the Lakers’ turnovers, averaging 23 points off 19.5 mistakes by Los Angeles in those initial games.
Additionally, the Thunder managed to score 19 second-chance points despite only gathering nine offensive rebounds, which is quite impressive and highlights their ability to find scoring opportunities efficiently.
This contrasts sharply with the Lakers’ performance in the first round, where they dominated these aspects, particularly in the later phases of their victory against the Rockets.
It’s curious, really. The Lakers were significantly better in these areas as the season progressed, especially towards the end. Yet, they failed to adapt effectively against the Thunder, who adeptly exploited their weaknesses. The Lakers seemed to have problems particularly against teams utilizing drop coverage.
This isn’t a new issue for them. Coach JJ Redick pointed this out after a home loss to the Celtics earlier in the season, where they were stifled by a similar strategy, resulting in one of their lowest-scoring games.
In previous months, the Lakers managed to improve against drop coverage, but that progress didn’t seem to translate in the first two games against the Thunder. Even with their key player out for most of Game 1, the Lakers couldn’t generate quality plays, grappling with both poor shooting and ineffective counterattacks.
When the discussion turned to their offensive strategies, Redick made it clear that there was a lack of structured early offense. He mentioned the need for more organized plays, especially for Austin Reaves, to improve their points-per-possession statistics.
Interestingly, while the Lakers did face fewer drop coverage situations in Game 2, the Thunder chose to adjust by hedging and blitzing more when Reaves was in ball-handling positions, which shifted the dynamics.
The Lakers are familiar with these situations, especially since the arrival of Luka Doncic in early 2025 has led to more effective counterplays against such defenses. However, the Thunder’s shifts in strategy during the games uncovered some of the inconsistencies the Lakers had seemingly mastered late in the regular season.
If the Lakers don’t find a way to counter the Thunder’s drop coverage consistently, it seems likely that their playoff journey could come to an end this week.
