Thunder Stun Lakers Without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron’s Big Night Not Enough
LOS ANGELES - The Lakers saw their three-game win streak come to a halt Monday night, falling 119-110 to a short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder squad that was missing All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And while the final score suggests a competitive game - which it was for most of the night - the Lakers let a winnable one slip away late in the fourth quarter.
Head coach JJ Redick didn’t mince words postgame, pointing to a lack of execution in crunch time - specifically when it came to getting the ball into the hands of their most reliable closer.
“I didn’t think we did a good job of getting LeBron the ball,” Redick said. “Some of that was we called plays and we didn’t execute, some of that was just not having the recognition.
Him playing against smaller players was how we got back in the game, and we didn’t do a good job of getting him the ball. It’s frustrating.”
Redick has a point. LeBron James was cooking against the Thunder’s smaller defenders, especially in the second half when he repeatedly exploited mismatches to keep the Lakers within striking distance. But down the stretch, the offense got away from that formula - and it cost them.
James still managed to put together a strong all-around performance: 22 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists, and a steal in 36 minutes. He shot 9-of-17 from the field and went 4-of-6 at the line, though he couldn’t get anything to fall from deep, missing all four of his three-point attempts.
That said, the 39-year-old didn’t look like someone in his 23rd season. He played with force and intent, attacking the rim and even putting Chet Holmgren on a poster - twice.
It was the kind of aggressive, downhill LeBron that’s become a trademark of his late-game heroics. But without sustained touches in the final minutes, the Lakers couldn’t capitalize.
After the game, James acknowledged the team’s inconsistency and their inability to put together a full 48-minute performance - a recurring issue this season against playoff-caliber teams.
Despite the loss, James continues to defy expectations. Through 34 games this season, he’s averaging 21.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 50.1% from the field.
His three-point shooting (31.4%) and free-throw percentage (74.5%) remain serviceable, but it’s the sheer efficiency and durability at this stage of his career that continues to turn heads. His recent selection to a 22nd consecutive All-Star Game - every year since his rookie season - only adds to the legend.
Looking ahead, the Lakers won’t have much time to regroup. They’re back in action Tuesday night against the San Antonio Spurs in the second game of a back-to-back.
Availability remains a question mark, especially for James, who has played in back-to-backs recently but was sitting them out earlier in the season. Austin Reaves is still on a minutes restriction, and Luka Doncic remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
The Lakers have shown flashes of what they can be - a team with enough talent to compete with anyone. But until they figure out how to consistently execute late in games and lean on their best player when it matters most, nights like this will keep slipping away.