Lakers Again Falter After Halftime In Game 2 Loss To The Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY — The effort was being provided by each the Lakers astatine a precocious level and it was being led by LeBron Jamess and Austin Reaves.

But nan Lakers are facing nan defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder successful nan Western Conference semifinals and it is simply a chore that remains excessively dense for Los Angeles.

Even pinch Reaves recovering to scoring 31 points connected 10-for-16 shooting and handing retired six assists and James collecting 23 points and six assists, nan Lakers still mislaid Game 2 of nan best-of-seven series, 125-107, Thursday nighttime astatine Paycom Center.

The Lakers way nan bid 2-0, pinch Game 3 backmost successful Los Angeles astatine Crypto.com Arena connected Saturday night.

The likelihood person now accrued against nan Lakers winning this series. In NBA history, only 34 teams person recovered from an 0-2 spread to triumph a best-of-seven series, while 431 teams person gone connected to triumph nan series.

The Lakers moreover did a very bully occupation again connected Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, throwing double teams astatine him to clasp nan All-Star defender to 22 points.

Lakers guardant LeBron James. left, tries to thrust past Thunder defender Luguentz Dort, right, during nan first half of Game 2 connected Tuesday nighttime successful Oklahoma City.

(Nate Billings / Associated Press)

Chet Holmgren had different beardown crippled pinch 22 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks and Ajay Mitchell had 20 points for nan Thunder.

The Lakers, who had a one-point lead astatine halftime, went down 13 points astatine nan extremity of nan 3rd quarter, but a James three-pointer pulled them to wrong 95-89, forcing nan Thunder to telephone a timeout pinch 8:57 left.

The Lakers moreover sewage to wrong 5 points successful nan 4th quarter, but a 10-2 tally by nan Thunder put L.A. successful a 13-point spread pinch 5:53 left, this clip forcing Lakers coach JJ Redick to telephone nan timeout truthful his players could cod themselves.

The Lakers could not.

A large play was erstwhile Reaves took a complaint against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pinch 10 minutes and 34 seconds near successful nan 3rd quarter, which was his 4th foul. Gilgeous-Alexander was called for a flagrant foul connected nan play and Alex Caruso was called for a method foul.

Reaves changeable 3 free throws, making them each for a 66-61 Lakers lead.

Gilgeous-Alexander past took a spot connected nan bench.

Yet nan Lakers were incapable to support their value of play against a Thunder squad that conscionable kept charging up moreover pinch Gilgeous-Alexander connected nan bench.

The Thunder vanished nan 3rd connected an 18-8 tally to unfastened a 93-80 lead.

One of nan galore keys for nan Lakers was getting a productive Reaves. It was conscionable his 3rd crippled backmost aft being retired a period because of a Grade 2 near hamstring strain, and it showed. Reaves missed 13 of his 16 shots successful Game 1 and each 5 of his three-pointers, and scored conscionable 8 points.

Reaves didn’t make immoderate excuses for his mediocre play.

“He’s sewage a awesome consciousness of self-accountability to where, you know, he’s his ain worst professional and he’s going to clasp himself to a modular of really he wants to play,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “Had a awesome speech pinch him yesterday and today. He’ll beryllium bully to go.”

Lakers guardant Rui Hachimura, center, pulls up for a big complete Thunder halfway Chet Holmgren, left, during nan first half of Game 2 connected Thurday night.

(Nate Billings / Associated Press)

And Reaves was, scoring 13 points successful nan first half while handing retired assists.

He missed his first 2 shots, but vanished nan first half five-for-nine shooting.

Along pinch James scoring 10 points and handing retired 5 assists, Rui Hachimura scoring 11 and Marcus Smart adding 8 while doing his portion to slow down Gilgeous-Alexander, nan Lakers opened a 58-57 lead astatine nan half.

The Lakers sent defenders astatine Gilgeous-Alexander often, double teaming nan convention astir valuable subordinate and forcing nan different Thunder players to shootin nan first half.

Gilgeous-Alexander only took 9 shots successful nan first half and made four.

The Thunder changeable conscionable 25% from three-point scope successful nan first 24 minutes.

Note: Lakers guardant Jarred Vanderbilt was downgraded retired for Game 2 because of a dislocated correct pinky finger.