OKC Thunder: Grades from loss to the Los Angeles Lakers

The OKC Thunder hosted the Los Angeles Lakers with both teams being on the second night of a back-to-back. The Lakers were too strong, grades look at why.

The OKC Thunder started the night on the back foot with starting center Al Horford not playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Add to this the Los Angeles Lakers were able to rest their stars at the end of the Houston Rockets game.

As a result of both of these factors, the Lakers big men feasted on the night and the Thunder, despite staying competitive, could not stay with last year’s champions.  LeBron James had 26 points, seven assists, and six rebounds while Anthony Davis had 18 points and seven rebounds.

The bench was also too strong for the Thunder with Montrezl Harrell ended with 21 points and six rebounds to go along with Merkieff Morris’s 11 points and seven rebounds.. To put it simply the Lakers were simply too big and too skilled for the young Thunder outfit.

The OKC Thunder welcomed back Dennis Schroder for the first time

The OKC Thunder welcomed back the second member of their beloved team from last year, Dennis Schroder. The German point guard had a true Schroder game with 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, and a steal.

It was not all doom and gloom for the Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a solid performer with 17 points, two rebounds, and an assist. The Thunder were close at the half, only being ten points down. The Lakers then opened the second half with a 25-7 run and the game was over.