Monday night features another big-time opponent coming into Crypto.com Arena, that being the No. 1 seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. The Los Angeles Lakers are 2-1 against them this yeae and have a chance to win the season series while picking up a much-needed victory.
L.A. is coming off another close loss to the defending champion Denver Nuggets, 124-114, and get rewarded with a matchup with a young, but impressive Thunder team that is greatly exceeding expectations. Luckily, the Lakers are in the midst of a six-game homestand, which should help in their chances of picking up wins against some of the best teams in the league.
Oklahoma City is on the second night of a back-to-back, playing the Phoenix Suns on Sunday and getting a win. For the Thunder, their top two scoring options Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams led the charge as the former put up 35 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, while the latter chipped in an efficient 22 points.
For the Lakers to pick up a much-needed win, they need all hands on deck. Anthony Davis and Cam Reddish were listed as probable and are suiting up. LeBron James was listed as questionable with left ankle peroneal tendinopathy but ultimately is giving it a go after reaching 40,000 points on Saturday.
A catalyst for getting a win on Monday is Davis, who is coming off a 17-point and 11-rebound game against the Nuggets where he was not aggressive in the second half. Davis needs to be aggressive in attacking Chet Holmgren and teammates need to look for him early and often. Holmgren is lengthy and averaging 2.6 blocks on the season, but Davis’ size and strength should overwhelm the rookie.
For the Thunder, the head of the snake is Gilgeous-Alexander and containing him is not easy, especially as L.A. lacks its defensive personnel. The Lakers starting five lacks that defensive stopper on the perimeter, so Austin Reaves may spend time guarding the 6’6″ guard. But as the game progresses, Reddish is going to be a player that has to try and be disruptive.
The issue as of late for the purple and gold is letting stars and role players get their games off. While the instinctual game plan is to contain the No. 1 option, head coach Darvin Ham needs to focus on containing other scoring options outside of Gilgeous-Alexander. Trapping the 25-year-old may seem like a good idea, but it then allows Holmgren, Williams and others to be effective out of the double team.
Los Angeles Lakers (33-29) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (42-18)
Monday, March 4, 2024, 7:30 p.m. PT
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
TV: NBA TV, Spectrum Sportsnet
Radio: 710 AM ESPN LA
Projected Lakers Starting Lineup:
PG: D’Angelo Russell
SG: Austin Reaves
SF: LeBron James
PF: Rui Hachimura
C: Anthony Davis
Key Reserves: Spencer Dinwiddie, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Jaxson Hayes, Max Christie
Projected Thunder Starting Lineup:
PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SG: Josh Giddey
SF: Luguentz Dort
PF: Jalen Williams
C: Chet Holmgren
Key Reserves: Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, Gordon Hayward
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