Lakers’ Strategy Against Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: A Shift Needed

The Lakers set the tone early in their second round playoff matchup against the Thunder, showcasing what they were prepared to fight through.

But there’s one thing they really want to avoid: letting Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander go one-on-one.

Therefore, in the first two games of the series, he was immediately double-teamed, which took the ball away from him and put pressure on other players to step up.

The issue for the Lakers? Those “other” Thunder players performed well, significantly contributing to their game plan.

In Game 3 at Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers focused on their defensive approach, yet it was players other than Gilgeous-Alexander who shone in the Thunder’s commanding 23-point win.

Chet Holmgren emerged as the Thunder’s leading scorer, while second-year guard Ajay Mitchell achieved a playoff career-high with 24 points and 10 assists. Unlike the previous games where Jared McCain made an impact, it was Isaiah Joe who brought the scoring from the bench, and Cason Wallace continued to impress both offensively and defensively.

The Lakers seemed to allow everyone on the Thunder to take charge, except for Gilgeous-Alexander.

Now, it’s crucial for the Lakers to confront him directly and find ways to contain his influence.

He’s incredibly capable of turning things around. As the reigning MVP—who’s likely to win again—Gilgeous-Alexander is arguably the top player in the league.

However, the Lakers need to better recognize his role as the engine driving the Thunder’s success. It’s been evident through three games that the rest of the team can also beat the Lakers, even without All-NBA honoree Jaylen Williams.

LeBron James noted their depth, saying, “They’ve got a lot of bodies, a lot of guys who can do different things on the floor. It helps to have that depth.”

So, how will the Lakers tackle the challenge of Gilgeous-Alexander to emerge victorious?

A solid starting point would be for Marcus Smart, the Lakers’ best defender, to take on Gilgeous-Alexander himself, without extra help.

Smart is capable. Late in the third quarter of Game 3, while the Lakers were leading 87-79, he isolated Gilgeous-Alexander and communicated his presence clearly to his teammates.

However, rookie forward Adu Tierro made a critical mistake, allowing a gap that Gilgeous-Alexander exploited, assisting Wallace for a quick basket that widened the Thunder’s lead to 11 points.

From that point, the Lakers couldn’t catch up.

It’s wise to keep track of Gilgeous-Alexander and test his jump shot. He has shot 39% from outside the paint in this series. No single player can completely stop him, and Smart won’t be expected to. But he can disrupt Gilgeous-Alexander’s flow.

More cautious defensive coverage would likely limit the chances of the Thunder scoring heavily from anyone other than their star.

Still, this doesn’t mean the Lakers should discard strategies that have worked so far.

Their man-to-man defense, adjusted to overload certain areas, kept Gilgeous-Alexander contained in the first half of Game 3. However, as the game progressed, he found his rhythm against a Lakers defense that was beginning to wear down.

Emphasizing one-on-one matchups with Gilgeous-Alexander could alleviate some burden from the rest of the team, which has struggled offensively in the second half of games. The Lakers averaged 45 points in the second half compared to the Thunder’s 63.

Consider what might happen if players like Austin Reeves or Luke Kennard were switched onto him. It could create mismatches worth exploring.

By cutting back on switches, the Lakers could keep Smart closer to Gilgeous-Alexander, maintaining size for rim protection and ensuring defensive rebounding.

They’ll need to be more aggressive against Mitchell as well.

Ultimately, it’s about daring Gilgeous-Alexander to be the one who leads the charge against them—a last option that remains untested.