Oklahoma City Thunder took advantage of the absence of Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic to win an uncontested 123-87, in a duel that finished off the morale of the Los Angeles team. The game began with a first quarter of 27-34 in favor of the opponent, a score that did not surprise the fans at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, as the feeling of inevitable defeat hung over the arena from the opening tip-off given the critical absences in the NBA’s most glamorous roster.

The most sensitive is that of the Slovenian Luka Doncic, who is in Madrid after suffering a left thigh injury last Thursday that will keep him out of the remainder of the regular season.

The important absence of Doncic was compounded by the unavailability of American Reaves, a key player for the team, and the exclusion of veteran LeBron James, who was unable to take to the court due to the physical problems he is suffering with his left foot.

Even with the odds against them, the Lakers had their moment of lucidity in the first half of the second quarter, in which they stood up to the rival and, at times, managed to surpass and equalize the score while the Thunder faced a team lacking stars.

This version of the Los Angeles team gradually deflated and went into the break 18 points down (47-65).

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander condemns Lakers with 25 points

But as was predicted by recent history, the passage through the locker room was again fatal for the Angelenos. In a script that mirrored what happened last week, except for Doncic’s injury, the third quarter dashed any hope for the Lakers, hampered by the physical superiority of their opponents.

The offensive disconnection and the ease with which they conceded in defense allowed the Thunder to seal the game quickly with a resounding 63-92 scoreline that made any attempt at a comeback impossible.

Although his performance was not particularly brilliant by his standards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was crowned the top scorer of the game with 25 points (10 in 15 shooting) in a duel in which he knew how to manage the pace without needing to force his best version with the Thunder.

For his part, Japanese forward Rui Hachimura (15 points, 7 of 10 shooting), whose participation gained prominence, especially in the final stages of the game, along with Drew Timme (11 points, 4 of 9 shooting), who is still not used to the competitive pace of the elite, acted as improvised hosts for the Los Angeles Lakers, who were overwhelmed by Oklahoma’s offense.

The bitter defeat against one of the most important rivals on the West Coast, aggravated by the absence of their key players, adds turbulence to the Californian franchise’s journey in the final stretch of the NBA season.

With just four games remaining in the regular season, the Lakers are finding it difficult to manage their lead in the standings.

While they start from a base that gives them a direct pass to the finals, J.J. Redick’s team has been eager in recent weeks to ratify the solidity exhibited in that bright interval between February and March, when they signed seven consecutive victories.

JJ Redick: “We have to find nine players committed in the three remaining games”

Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick said the team needs to find “nine guys that are committed” and “willing to give it their all” ahead of the end of the NBA regular season, especially after the injury absences of its big stars.

“It’s a great opportunity for us over the next three games to find those players,” he said Tuesday in a press conference after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The coach pointed out that they played hard for 18 minutes in Tuesday’s game, despite the sensitive absences of their great stars: Slovenian Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and veteran LeBron James.

“The players fought hard and tried very hard. We’re under pressure right now, and it’s important that everyone tries to play well and for the team,” he added.

During the press conference, he highlighted Drew Timme’s play, who was “great” at the beginning of the game, but criticized Japanese player Rui Hachimura, who despite being the home team’s top scorer, “did not do his job”, which is why he was taken out of the game.

JJ Redick explains his incident with Jarred Vanderbilt: “It’s nothing personal”

Redick also clarified the incident with Jarred Vanderbilt, with whom he had a heated discussion in the second half of the game: “It was just a confluence of several things. Again, it’s nothing personal, but it’s something normal on my part,” he said.

“When you’re short on players and you have to fight tooth and nail, we all have to be in tune. We have to be great teammates,” he said.