The Los Angeles Lakers came up short against the defending champs, the OKC Thunder, and LeBron James saw the difference that made them champions.
The Los Angeles Lakers had a good litmus test of what it takes to contend when playing the defending NBA Champions on Monday night. Without Luka Doncic on their end, the Oklahoma City Thunder were also without reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who both were out with injuries. The supporting casts faced off, with the Thunder defeating the Lakers 119-110. Los Angeles was led by LeBron James, who had 22 points on the night, 14 of which came in the second half. His efforts weren’t enough to extend their winning streak to four, and it led to LeBron getting honest when asked postgame what separates them from the NBA leaders.
"You want me to compare us to them? That's a championship team right there. We're not," James told reporters. "We can't sustain energy and effort for 48 minutes, and they can. That's why they won a championship."
Head coach JJ Redick was pleased by his team’s fight, but the lack of execution also played a role. The Lakers led by one point with 7:24 left before Oklahoma City went on a 21-11 run that effectively ended the contest. But it did give Los Angeles a good glimpse into what it takes to be the best and beat the best – something James knows through his years in the league and saw a harsh reality check in his team’s loss.
Here is the full story from Lakers Roundtable writer Jack Haslett on what went wrong against the Thunder and how lack of execution played a major role.
Los Angeles started to show cracks on defense, allowing OKC to take advantage of a team that was without the NBA leading scorer for a second straight game, as Doncic remains out with a mild hamstring strain. But James is still expecting the best out of his team when they’re missing the best. This could either be a turning point that turns the Lakers into championship contenders, or a harsh look in the mirror of lacking what it takes depending on their response.