The Western Conference is shaking out to have another classic finish. Seeds No. 4 through No. 8 are knotted with the same number of losses (32), and the No. 2 and No. 3-seed Rockets and Lakers can't take their foot off the gas.
The Lakers are definitely smashing the gas. They routed the 64-win OKC Thunder behind a dominant performance from Luka Dončić Sunday afternoon. He shushed the Thunder crowd with a flame-throwing first quarter and continued the torch session as the game continued.
The Thunder are on a historic pace. 64 wins are impressive, but not legendary. OKC truly impresses with their 12.5 Net Rating (second all-time) and the highest point differential ever. They're led by their dominant fly-around team defense and the brilliance of MVP-favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
OKC looks even better under a microscope when you realize this is the youngest team in the NBA accomplishing these feats. They were the No.1 seed in the West last year, led by these young guns. Being No. 1 didn't stop Luka Dončić and the Dallas Mavericks from snatching their chains.
Dončić didn't have his typical playoff explosion against the gritty OKC defense, but that should be more concerning for OKC because he's a 30-point player in the postseason — he will get back to that.
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Luka Dončić and the Lakers should fear no team in the postseason
For the last two seasons, the Thunders' defensive scheme has revolved around allowing teams to shoot more 3s while they gap up the middle of the floor, preventing drives to the rim. In opponent's 3-point frequency, OKC ranks 28th this year and 26th last year, per Cleaning The Glass.
Teams haven't made them pay in the regular season, but the playmaking of Dončić and variance-shooting of PJ Washington burned them last year. OKC got the ball out of Dončić's hands consistently. He had three of his six lowest playoff-scoring games. This 2024 series against the Thunder was the first series he had two games scoring under 20 points.
Double Dončić, and he'll find the open man. OKC was willing to live with that strategy. Washington made them pay as he shot an astounding 47 percent on 8.2 3-point attempts per game. That was a drastic uptick as he shot 32 percent in the regular season. Sure, Washington got hot at the right time, but the Thunder scheme can lend to random shooters getting hot. They get wide-open warm-up shots against the Thunder.
Dončić was the man on fire on Sunday's shellacking of OKC, but the Lakers shot 22-of-40 from deep as a team. That's not sustainable, but the open looks will be there if these teams match up in the playoffs. The playoffs will be fun for the Lakers, as they are the only team with two computer-brain players on the same team.
If you elect to double LeBron James or Dončić, I hope the basketball gods are with you. In theory, the Thunder have some bodies they can throw at the Lakers duo.
Lu Dort is arguably the stoutest perimeter defender; he's built to guard big bodies like the Lakers combo. Jalen "Jdub" Williams is good on the ball but more elite as a roamer. Cason Wallace is elite but too small for those two. It's the same spiel with Alex Caruso, who will hold his own for possessions. Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein are the rim protectors manning the paint, so they could make it challenging at the basket.
Those players are the key ingredients to the Thunder's No.1 defense, but the Lakers shouldn't be afraid — a healthy dose of respect, but no fear in their eyes. Dončić is looking more spry every game. He's getting it together at the perfect time.
The Sunday game was an anomaly not only because the Lakers hit 22 3s but because OKC had nothing going offensively. They're still the favorites and would be on the opposite side of the bracket if the Lakers keep the three-seed. Favorites go down every year, though. Dončić only averaged 25/11/9 against the blitzy Thunder last year.
It'll be hard to run that same game plan now that Dončić is paired up with LeBron. Dončić will likely be closer to his 30.9 career playoff average with James at his side, taking loads of pressure off him. The Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Timberwolves, Rockets, Grizzles, and Thunder are all formidable foes and offer different challenges. That said, LA will likely have two of the three best players in every series. That advantage will allow them to walk into any building with the utmost confidence.