Player grades: OKC Thunder ousted by LA for second time in week

Missing two-thirds of the OK3 triad the OKC Thunder get thrashed for the second time in less than a week by the Lakers.

It’s not as if the OKC Thunder were unaware the Lakers could pull out a victory. It was just this past Sunday the young upstarts beat OKC at Chesapeake.

Perhaps Paul George and his cohorts assumed the Lakers would be easier to defeat without Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance who were traded to Cleveland today. Or maybe, they underestimated how much value was missing with Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony both felled by ankle issues.

Regardless, the fact the Lakers are 12-4 since January 7 should have been enough fuel to motivate the squad to bring energy and play as a team. OKC started off the game with intensity building an early 11 point lead. But, the OKC Thunder never moved the ball or tried to win as a team. Instead they succumbed allowing the Lakers to dictate the pace and style of the game. By night’s end the Thunder didn’t just lose they were ousted by 25 points.

Good teams defeat quality competition like the Warriors. Great teams win on the road and take care of lesser opponents even when they are tired and short handed. In this regard, the OKC Thunder have some work to do.

Hometown Welcome:

Paul George got the answers to two questions tonight in the OKC Thunder vs LA Lakers game. First he realized how difficult it is to do Russell Westbrook’s job with the point guard needing to miss the game due to a wonky ankle. Second, George got a first hand look at the young Lakers to observe a team he might consider making a move to this summer.

The reality of the latter scenario became more feasible today when Magic Johnson and Lakers GM Rob Pelinka traded Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance to the Cavaliers. Coming back to the Lakers is Isaiah Thomas and Channing Frye. By shedding Clarkson the Lakers clear $26 million in salary over the next two seasons.

Additionally, Thomas and Frye are on expiring contracts, so will come off the books at season end. The irony of the situation is the Cavaliers just handed LA exactly what they need to go after LeBron James plus another star this summer. And, yeah if you bought into the snake oil statement the Lakers were going to wait until 2019 to make their free agent moves then I’ve got some swamp land to show you for real cheap.

With that, let’s take a look at the player grades.