In what’s become a far too familiar script, the Lakers fell to the Thunder in Saturday’s Game 3 and now trail 3-0. A deficit that’s never been overcome in NBA history. LA’s season is now on the brink of ending on Monday as they attempt to extend the series back to Oklahoma City in Game 4.
In Groundhog Day fashion, the purple and gold led at halftime and held momentum going into the break. It was a two-point advantage in Game 3 after a one-point advantage in Game 2. The Thunder, though, play a complete
game, and it takes 48 focused minutes to even keep it close.
The ugly third quarter reared its head again, as OKC used a 33-20 period to turn a deficit into another blowout win, leading by as much as 27 and revealing just how far these two teams are from one another.
Their physicality and aggression wear on opponents, eventually breaking the Lakers’ spirit in each game. After a few back-and-forth baskets, with a tied game at 63, OKC broke out a 15-2 run.
The reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, gets the most attention, understandably, but the Lakers’ killer in this series continues to be guard Ajay Mitchell. The third quarter on Saturday was no different.
Mitchell finished 3-3 from the field with nine points, three assists and zero turnovers in the game-changing third. He hit an early three on the wing to begin the quarter, but where he’s really killed the LA is on straight-line drives, as shown below.
Watch as he runs an action with Isaiah Hartenstein and attacks the basket with a floater that settles in.
His shot puts OKC up seven, with a timeout by head coach J.J. Redick to follow.
The explosive guard finished 10-17 from the field for 24 points, ten assists with zero turnovers. He averaged over 20 for the series with 6.7 assists, burning the Lakers on any overhelp against SGA or taking over in the minutes he sat.
Labeled as the deepest team in the league going into the playoffs, OKC leveraged that all series, including in the third. They have an unending supply of quality role players to plug and play.
Shooting just 6-18 on 3-pointers in the first half, they hit 5-9 in the third, including two massive ones from sharp shooter Isaiah Joe. What looked like a strong defensive possession with closeouts led to a huge basket, quickly taking a five-point lead to eight in the clip below.
On the Lakers’ offensive end, after 57 points at halftime, they mustered just 20 in the third quarter. The Thunder adjusted and increased their physicality on the Lakers’ main ball handlers.
Austin Reaves had eight assists at halftime, getting going downhill and finding teammates either on skip passes or at the basket. OKC shut off those passing windows in the third. Watch below as LeBron James runs a ball screen at the top of the key and swings it over to Reaves in the corner.
No advantage is created as all the Thunder are in the correct defensive position on the floor. Reaves attacks the on-ball pressure from Mitchell looking to score, but is shut off at the rim by Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren. A mid-air pass is quickly stolen for one of his three turnovers in the quarter.
A few possessions later, LeBron and Reaves run their patented middle ball screen action. Mitchell gets a hand on the pocket pass to disrupt the play. Watch below as LeBron quickly looks to fling the ball to Jaxson Hayes and turns it over.
“The turnovers, I think we had five of them in the third,” Redick said postgame. “I think all of them led to them getting fast-break transition baskets. I don’t know what it ended up being, but at one point, they were 11-17 from three in the second half. You’re not getting stops, it’s harder to score.”
LeBron and Reaves combined to go just 1-5 in the third quarter with four turnovers. It’s not enough against a team you need to play perfectly against to just keep it close, let alone steal a win.
The competitive first halves in this series and the constant shots of the bench, with superstar Luka Dončić looking on helplessly, can spark interest in what this matchup would look like in a different situation.
But the reality is that LA has lost the third quarter 92-61 in this series through Game 3 with an average margin of victory of 20 points per game. No matter how you spin it, these teams are nowhere close to each other, and a long summer awaits.
You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu
