The Los Angeles Lakers stood merely a puncher's chance against the Oklahoma City Thunder when the two clubs met earlier this season on Nov. 29. However, much has changed since then, namely Luka Dončić's arrival to the City of Angels.
Dončić's first time facing the Thunder as a member of the Lakers went about as well as fans of the purple and gold could've hoped. He torched Oklahoma City, amassing 30 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals on an efficient 11-of-20 shooting (including going 5-of-11 from three). But most importantly, Los Angeles cruised to a 126-99 victory.
Considering Oklahoma City has been historically dominant in 2024-25, there haven't been many moments where an opponent straight-up manhandled them. But Dončić and the Lakers imposed their will on them. The Thunder shouldn't fear anyone heading into the playoffs, but Los Angeles presents a potential matchup nightmare if they meet again for a best-of-seven clash.
Luka Dončić and the Lakers proved they can give the Thunder fits in a playoff series
Of course, it's worth mentioning the Thunder have little to play for at this juncture of the regular season. Perhaps that's why they ostensibly didn't come out with the same fire and desire against L.A. that we've been accustomed to seeing from them. Meanwhile, every game is crucial for the Lakers, who can mathematically still finish anywhere from second to eighth in the Western Conference standings.
Nonetheless, that shouldn't detract from Los Angeles' surgical performance. They blew out a Thunder team that has been on the other side of results like this more often than not. But the most eye-opening aspect of the Lakers marching into the Paycom Center and shellacking Oklahoma City is how they did it.
Los Angeles tied its franchise record for most 3s in a half (15). The Lakers set their single-game season-highs in made attempts from beyond the arc (22) and percentage (55.0). Dončić wasn't the only one going berserk from downtown -- Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent each drilled four triples. Yet, their defensive approach to making life difficult for MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was arguably more impressive.
While the Lakers lack a traditional rim-protecting center, they utilized their surplus of wing-sized contributors to clog the paint, where Gilgeous-Alexander primarily operates. He still tallied 26 points on an efficient 12-of-23 shooting, but Los Angeles mucked up his driving lanes. Whether it was Finney-Smith or Rui Hachimura, they were prepared for the assignment, with their length disrupting the Thunder superstar.
Instead of putting a guard on SGA, the Lakers were comfortable trusting a stable of forwards to stay in front of him. Combine that with Dončić's gravity as a playmaker and bucket-getter, and Oklahoma City might be staring at trouble in paradise should they see L.A. again.
Last season, Dončić solved the Rubik's Cube that is Oklahoma City's elite defense with relative ease, guiding the Dallas Mavericks to a 4-2 series win. He averaged 24.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.8 steals, seemingly having an answer for whatever the Thunder threw at him. And even in his new threads, that appeared to be the case.
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NBA news roundup:
- Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard and Giannis Antetokounmpo were named NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 24. Both led their squads to 4-0 records from Mar. 31 to Apr. 6. The latter became the first player in league history to record at least 35 points, 20 assists and 15 rebounds in a single game.
- The Portland Trail Blazers announced their agreement on a multi-year contract extension with general manager Joe Cronin. He's given the organization a sense of direction in the post-Damian Lillard era, adding several young, talented players via draft and trade.
- Bradley Beal's partnership with the Phoenix Suns has undeniably been an abject disaster.
Things have gotten so bad that the front office might explore taking drastic measures to ensure he's off the roster next season.
OG Anunoby's offensive leap couldn't come at a better time for the Knicks
The New York Knicks learned a lot about themselves sans their superstar floor general, Jalen Brunson. Chief among the group's discoveries is the emergence of OG Anunoby as a potent offensive threat.
Averaging 27.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game on outstanding .563/.458/.918 shooting splits over his past 10 contests, Anunoby's on fire. He was a massive factor in New York not just treading water with Brunson sidelined, but going 9-6 without their captain.
Anunoby's capabilities as an elite corner three-point marksman, off-ball cutter and catch-and-shoot are well known. However, his newfound confidence, aggression and knack for getting downhill off the dribble is a much-welcomed development for the Knicks, especially with the postseason looming. He's operating at a high level on both ends of the floor, making New York even more dangerous.
What makes Anunoby's scoring leap even better is that he showed zero signs of slowing down in Brunson's return to the lineup. Yes, it was one game versus a Suns team that isn't particularly interested in guarding anyone. But the latter was on the floor for nearly 35 minutes while reprising most of his high-usage role. So, we shouldn't overlook the former's latest outburst, regardless of the circumstances.
Expecting Anunoby to maintain this pace is wishful thinking, particularly when Brunson is fully reintegrated. Nevertheless, his continued ascension should remind us that he's more than a 3-and-D; that's just the role he's asked to play for the Knicks. And when the time comes, head coach Tom Thibodeau has an ace in the hole when needed.