2026 Playoffs: West Semifinals (1) OKC Thunder Vs (4) LA Lakers

Marcus Smart On Guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Keys For Lakers Against Thunder

 

Deandre Ayton On Marcus Smart’s Leadership, His Focus Against Thunder

 

Lakers Collective: Lakers-Rockets Series Recap | OKC Matchup Preview + Biggest Takeaways

 

Allen Sliwa: Reflecting On Round 1 | Matchup vs Thunder | Luka/Jalen Williams Update | Early Lakers Rumors

 

No.

 

This is a really tough series for us in both sides of the ball. In my opinion, OKC is more of a defensive team than offensive. They use their defense to get into early offense, but they’re not a great shooting team when the defense is set and rely on their whistle a whole bunch.

If I’m trying to defend them, I’m emphasising defensive rebounding to limit second chance opportunities and focusing on taking away everyone else but SGA. Play Shai in single coverage with a bigger defender in Jake/Rui/Vando and just let him shoot with a hand in his face but don’t bail him out to the FT line. Don’t try to get physical with him or body him up, just let him get his vis mid range shooting. But on the other side, I want Chet clamped, iHart can’t be passing freely from the middle of the court, really go at the rest of the guys and don’t let anyone else be a consistent scorer.

On the other side, they’re going to let you shoot 3’s, if we want any chance of winning a few games, Rui, Luke, Reaves, Smart and Lebron have to shoot 37% across the series. We also need Lebron to spam ISO post ups again, this takes away their help defense from swiping at the ball constantly. If they double team that action, just swing the ball to the open shooter. I wouldn’t mind throwing the ball into DA to go against Chet and iHart, Ayton is shooting 60%, let’s try to see how we go with that.

I’m most worried about Austin (and Kennard). They’re going to be hunting AR when he is handling the ball trying to create offense. If he can have a virtuoso series where he is the main ball handler, we can do better than we anticipate, if he can’t it’s going to be a short one.

 

JJ Redick Talked OKC's Whistle, Challenges Lakers' Face

 

J Dub or whatever hell his name is not playing .
Dominayton is going ANNIHILATE Chet
Lakers in whatever it takes

 

My advice for us all is not to watch this game. James Williams known OKC ref who threw out Ayton and Adou is reffing the game

 

Uggghhh!!

 

The Lakers in 4

 

We have a relatively healthy LeBron and it was huge that AR got to grind off a little rust against Spacely's Sprockets. Rui needs to be fire from three and DA needs to be checked in. This is doable. What better way for Austin to earn his contract.

 

Lakers vs Thunder Game 1! Injury Update & LA's Keys To Victory

 

GWF: Lakers-Thunder Series Preview, Austin Reaves' Importance, LA's Best Offensive Approach

 

Allen Sliwa: How Lakers Can Steal Game 1 vs Thunder | Doncic/Williams OUT | What Defines a Successful Series?

 

Kamenetzky Brothers Discuss Lakers Vs. Thunder Series With Locked On Thunder: Lakers-Thunder PREVIEW: SCOUTING REPORT on SGA, OKC's DEFENSE, exploitable WEAKNESSES

 

A Team with ZERO Expectations. (Lakers vs Thunder Rd. 2 Series Preview)

 

If we're going to steal a Game in OKC, it has to be Game 1. They're coming off of a long layoff after a noncompetitive series, while we had to go up a level to close out the Rockets in Game 6. You see it all the time in the playoffs - a top seed that won a noncompetitive first round series can struggle in the first game of the next round against a team coming off of a tough series. This is also the freshest LeBron is going to be this series and the offense needs to run through him in this matchup.

 

Leicester in EPL were 5000 to 1
Lakers not even biggest underdog in the history

in NHL playoffs 2 times Stanley cup finalist were eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks who did not make a playoff since 2017
P.S it still sucks that Luka is injured