No spin, no excuses. After the Game 3 loss in the Conference SemifinalsJJ Redick looked reality straight in the face and described it with a level of bluntness rarely heard from an NBA head coach.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers is quickly becoming a one-sided story. The Thunder, defending champions, moved ahead 3-0 after a 131-108 win at Crypto.com Arena, wiping out any remaining hope of an easy comeback for a franchise already dealing with adversity. Luka Doncicthe Lakers’ leading scorer, remains out with an injury, and his return in this series looks increasingly unlikely.
After the game, Redick was very direct when discussing Oklahoma City’s dominance:
They kicked our asses for three straight games. They’re an incredible team
JJ Redick
Paradoxically, the Lakers had taken a halftime lead for the second straight game – one of those small anomalies that had created some hope. But the Thunder are a team that never strays from its identity: in the second half they completely overwhelmed the home team with a 74-49 run, removing all doubt about the real gap between the two teams.
Now there is no margin for error left for the Lakers. Game 4 will be their final chance to avoid a sweep that would end the series in the worst possible way. They will need an immediate response, especially mentally, against a Thunder team that keeps proving its value game after game.
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