The Lakers’ Playoff Struggles

It’s pretty clear—the Lakers are in trouble.

They’re down 3-0 in their playoff series against the defending champs, the Thunder. That’s a big hole. No NBA team has ever come back from that, right? So, what’s left to play for in Game 4?

Pride is on the line. The Lakers definitely don’t want to go down without a fight.

LeBron James, still contemplating the future, doesn’t want his career to finish in such an underwhelming fashion.

Meanwhile, Austin Reeves is looking to make a strong case for a new contract, as free agency looms near. He might pass on his $14.9 million player option and wants to leave a mark.

Lakers coach JJ Redick has supported the team through ups and downs, and he’s not about to let them give up now. “I still think we can beat them,” he said after their 131-108 loss in Game 3. Hopeful, but those words feel a bit empty.

Honestly, it’s like shouting at a concert, or gasping for air. It’s a tough situation. A comeback seems almost impossible. The Thunder are younger and deeper, and the Lakers look like they’re running on fumes, losing by an average of 18 points in their last games.

But don’t expect the Lakers to throw in the towel. Not this group. They’ve shown resilience throughout the season.

When they hit a wall, they fight back.

James has adapted to being more of a third option, a pretty big shift for a player of his caliber who still has plenty to give. This sacrifice has actually helped their offense, and they enjoyed a solid 16-2 record this spring.

Just when they seemed on the path to a championship run, they lost Luka Doncic (due to a hamstring injury) and Reeves (oblique injury) on April 2nd. Expectations dropped, and, honestly, there was concern they wouldn’t make it past the first round, despite having two scorers who combined for an impressive 60 points per game.

What did they do? They quickly jumped to a 3-0 lead against the Rockets. James, at 41, stepped up and delivered, while Luke Kennard showed he’s not just a shooter. Marcus Smart was fantastic defensively. Everyone contributed and they took down Houston in six games.

But, pushing through that effort just led them to another battle with a team that’s in another league altogether.

Facing the Thunder, a team that, despite past struggles, fought hard, the Lakers were competitive in the first half, but, unfortunately, fell apart as the game went on.

Now, they’re looking at their toughest challenge yet.

What do they do when all seems lost?

If they manage to win Game 4, they’ll just be extending the inevitable. They’d have to travel to Oklahoma City, where they’d face one of the toughest crowds in the league.

Nonetheless, expect the Lakers to put up a fight.

James didn’t become the player he is today by backing down when things got tough. And Reeves didn’t make it from being undrafted to a star by giving up easily.

Would it be a shame if they got swept? Not exactly—this Thunder team is remarkable. But to lose like that again on Monday? Now, that would sting.

“This situation isn’t great,” Reeves acknowledged. “But we’re not quitting. We’ve got to compete—for the organization, for each other, and for the fans. We’ll come out hard on Monday.”

So, the Lakers are definitely going to fight back.

How slim are their chances? Well, teams down 3-0 are historically 0-161.

Facing the Thunder, labeled by Redick as “one of the best teams of all time,” it feels as if any chance they might have is slipping away.

The Lakers might just be swinging at shadows.

But they will put their all into it. After all, it would be a shame for such a spirited season to end on such a disappointing note.