LOS ANGELES — The Lakers are now one defeat away from the end of their season after a crushing 131-108 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 on Saturday. To stay alive, Los Angeles must accomplish what no NBA team has ever achieved: rally from an 0-3 series deficit.
“They’ve kicked our ass for three straight games; they’re an incredible basketball team,” said head coach JJ Redick. “I still think we can beat them, but we got to be better.”
The Lakers produced their best quarter of the series in the second, outscoring the Thunder 34-26 thanks to a blistering 6-of-8 shooting from three-point range. They finally had Oklahoma City on its heels, as the Thunder struggled from deep, hitting just 2 of 10 triples. Despite that strong period and a raucous Crypto.com Arena crowd, the Lakers took only a two-point lead into halftime.
The energy suggested Los Angeles would carry its momentum into the second half. Instead, the opposite happened.
The Lakers’ first-half three-point shooting of 55% (11 of 20) plummeted to just 1 of 5 in the third quarter. A 15-6 run by the Thunder ignited a deflating collapse, as Oklahoma City outscored the Lakers 33-20 in the period.
“We didn’t have the energy, the effort and they put a thirty-plus point quarter on us. That kinda took care of the game right there, honestly,” said LeBron James, who scored 19 points. “That third quarter, we didn’t knock down shots. We didn’t defend or get stops.”
Turnovers, a persistent issue for the Lakers throughout the playoffs, resurfaced. After committing only nine turnovers in the first half, they gave the ball away six times in the third quarter alone. The biggest culprit was not Chet Holmgren (18 points) or MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (23 points), but Ajay Mitchell. Mitchell torched the Lakers’ defense, finishing with a game-high 24 points and 10 assists, scoring 18 of his points in the second half.
“They’re a connected group that their pieces fit basically perfect. So, it’s tough to beat them,” said Austin Reaves, who had 17 points.
The Lakers’ total of 16 turnovers was the lowest of the series, but they surrendered a series-high 30 points off those mistakes. James (three) and Reaves (five) combined for eight of the team’s turnovers. Rui Hachimura led the Lakers with 21 points, including a perfect 4-of-4 start from three that fueled their second-quarter surge.
The Thunder outscored Los Angeles 55-35 in the second half, building a 27-point lead in the fourth quarter and proving why they are the defending champions. The Lakers continued to struggle without Luka Dončić, whose status remains uncertain.
L.A. now looks to avoid its first playoff sweep since losing to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals. The series remains in Los Angeles for Game 4 on Monday, as the Lakers fight to extend their season and prevent a four-game sweep.