With their season on the line, the Lakers played with the necessary desperation to try to extend it one more game.
Even after it looked like the third quarter was headed down a familiar path, LA righted the ship and actually won that quarter. The result was a fourth quarter worthy of a playoff game with back-and-forth momentum swings and huge shots from either side.
But even with all that extra fight, the end result was the same, with the Thunder making more plays and coming away victorious to sweep
LA out of the playoffs.
It’s a tough ending to the series, considering how hard the Lakers fought throughout. But it’s also a just ending as the Thunder were clearly the better team in the series.
With that being said, let’s dive into the three takeaways from the loss…
Going out on their sword
There were two ways this game could have played out.
The Lakers could have looked like the Sixers on Sunday as they lay down and let the Knicks batter them at home in an embarrassing loss or they could put up the fight they did. It’s apropos that they went down fighting given it’s the trait this team has had all season.
So many times this season, the Lakers were dealt a challenge — often in the way of an untimely injury to a star — and were forced to adapt and keep fighting. The postseason was no different. The final scores often didn’t show how close the purple and gold were to the Thunder this series.
But Monday’s Game 4 will not be forgotten because of a humiliating blowout, but instead will be remembered as a team going out on its sword.
Rui and Austin step up
The Lakers were going to need big contributions from multiple players if they were going to finally nab a win in this series and both Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura did all they could to make that possible.
Austin’s night was a mixed bag at times. He did turn the ball over eight times. But given the ask of him and the focus the defense had on him, it was his best game of the series. He finished with 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists and carried the Lakers’ offense throughout the night. If nothing else, playing 43 minutes in a game of this intensity so soon after returning from injury was impressive.
Rui’s night, meanwhile, was not mixed at all. In a postseason where he already was turning heads, Rui had the game of his life, finishing with 25 points on 9-15 shooting from the field. But, as has been the case, it was his 3-point shooting that was most important, none bigger than his late four-point play with 1:41 left that trimmed a six-point deficit down to just two.
Both players are set for free agency. Both earned big paydays with their play either this season and in the playoffs. And, hopefully, both are Lakers again next season.
The crowd did their part
I was critical of the Lakers crowd earlier these playoffs when it felt like they didn’t do their part in a closeout game. And if there was ever a reason for them not to bring the energy, it was on a night when the team was on the brink of being swept.
Instead, it was the best crowd of the postseason for the Lakers. Is it a coincidence that multiple Twitter/X accounts pointed out how cheap the tickets were, meaning actual fans of the team could afford to attend? Probably not!
Whatever the reason or rationale, the crowd was as lively as they’ve been and played a huge role in spurring the team on to its most impressive performance of the series.
Hats off to them.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
