Thunder pull away in second half to defeat Lakers in Game 1 - BERITAJA

OKLAHOMA CITY — Lakers coach JJ Redick was succinct about what it was for illustration for his group to look the defending NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder during the regular season.

“We sucked against this team,” he said pregame.

The Lakers mislaid each 4 regular-season games against the Thunder by double figures, making L.A.’s 108-90 defeat to Oklahoma City successful Game 1 of the 2nd information of the playoffs conscionable different large nonaccomplishment to the talented Thunder.

LeBron James led the Lakers pinch 27 points and six assists while Rui Hachimura had 18 points, but Austin Reaves had only 8 points, shooting 3 for 16 from the field.

The Lakers doubled teamed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander frequently, limiting him to 18 points and forcing him into 7 turnovers.

But the Thunder conscionable turned to Chet Holmgren, who had a double-double pinch 24 points and 12 rebounds.

Thunder defender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, driving to the handbasket against Lakers defender Austin Reaves, vanished pinch 18 points connected eight-of-12 shooting from the section and six assists successful Game 1.

(Kyle Phillips / Associated Press)

The Lakers changeable only 41.7% (35 of 84) from the section and 30% (10 of 30) from three-point scope while the Thunder changeable 49.4% (42 of 85) from the section and 43.3% (13 of 30) from deep.

Game 2 is present Thursday night.

The Lakers didn’t thief themselves astatine the opening of the 4th quarter, turning the shot complete connected 2 of their first 3 possessions. When Marcus Smart, who vanished pinch 12 points connected four-of-15 shooting and 7 assists, turned the shot complete and Alex Caruso waltzed successful for a layup, the Lakers went down by 15 points and had to telephone a timeout pinch 10 minutes and 41 seconds near to regroup.

The Lakers ne'er did.

They fell into a 19-point spread successful the last 12 minutes of play and ne'er afloat recovered.

The Lakers mislaid by almost 30 points per crippled successful their four-game bid against the Thunder during the regular season, and 1 of the games was a 43-point shallacking.

But the Lakers recovered their groove successful the first information against the Houston Rockets and that has fueled their belief successful this bid against the Thunder.

“We’ve been capable to execute, moreover conscionable going backmost to the past 3 games of the regular season,” Redick said. “Again, we benignant of had to reset pinch not a batch of clip and build thing a small spot caller connected the fly. I deliberation our guys were capable to find their measurement and find their measurement from an execution standpoint, and for the about part, did a bully occupation of that connected some ends successful the Houston series.

Lakers defender Austin Reaves makes 1 of his 3 baskets connected a layup against Thunder halfway Chet Holmgren, but Reaves vanished pinch only 8 points connected three-of-16 shooting from the section successful Game 1.

(Kyle Phillips / Associated Press)

“This is simply a different squad and the champion team, and it’s going to require more. I deliberation each information that you beforehand successful the playoffs, you request to elevate each of the worldly moreover more. …That’s our attraction to detail, that’s our belief, that’s our poise. We sewage to beryllium awesome successful each those areas.”

The Lakers talked each believe about the runs the Thunder spell connected and really they had to limit them.

Well, it happened astatine the extremity of the first quarter, erstwhile Oklahoma City scored the past 5 points of the frame, and it happened astatine the outset of the 2nd quarter, erstwhile the Thunder scored the first 5 points of the framework to unfastened a 10-point lead.

Redick leaped disconnected the chair to telephone a timeout pinch 10:36 near successful the 2nd to get things backmost successful bid for the Lakers.

The Lakers recovered, but they past went down 56-43 successful the 2nd 4th and had to retrieve again.

They did, pulling to wrong 61-53 astatine the half.

Note: Lakers reserve guardant Jarred Vanderbilt injured his correct digit successful the 2nd 4th and didn’t return. Vanderbilt tried to artifact a dunk by Chet Helmgren, but alternatively deed manus connected the backboard and went down successful pain.