Eliminating the Thunder from the playoffs is no easy task.
Last year, no one could do it. This season, they have yet to lose, much less even flirt with the idea of being eliminated.
The Lakers are well aware of the challenge at hand as they begin their series against OKC. They understand that a near-perfect performance will be required, especially considering that they are still playing without Luka Dončić.
On Tuesday’s episode of the “Mind The Game podcast”, LeBron James laid out the realities of what
it’s going to take to pull off this upset.
“We cannot shortcut the details. In order for us to give ourselves a chance to win games, we cannot shortcut the details and the game plan. We know we can’t stop everything. It’s impossible. They’re that great. But if we can control the controllables, which is not turning the ball over because we know how great they are when it comes to pick sixes and how handsy they are and the athleticism and speed that they play with. Then we can give ourselves a chance, and that’s all you can ask for in the postseason is a chance to compete and compete to win games.”
The recipe to beat the Thunder is still being concocted, but how to lose to them is well-known. If you turn the ball over, they’ll take advantage. Thunder opponents have a turnover rate of 16.5, which is the third highest in the playoffs. Off of those turnovers, OKC scores an average of 20.8 points per game. So, they not only create advantages, but they also make you pay.
Add in the fact that the Thunder never foul — at least according to head coach JJ Redick, with his tongue in his cheek — and OKC employs MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and has one of the deepest benches in all of basketball and it’s difficult to find a weakness that can be exploited.
So, it’s all about the Lakers controlling what they can control. That means protecting the ball, getting good looks at the basket and defending as well as anyone can against the Thunder.
LeBron’s done impossible tasks like beating the prime Warriors and even winning against the Rockets in the first round this season, so we’ll see if he can pull another unprecedented upset by taking down the Thunder.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
