OKC Thunder: Player grades in overtime loss against Lakers

Best OKC Thunder reserve performance:

The biggest surprise of the night by far was Justin Jackson and his efficiency from the floor. He logged 26 minutes while scoring 14 points on 6 of 10 shooting.

This development was a major bright spot for OKC as the team has not witnessed this type of production in his prior appearances.

Jackson went 2 of 4 from the arc and made a case for gaining more playing time moving forward.

Best opponent:

LeBron James continues to defy age as the NBA vet logged 40-plus minutes while grabbing another triple-double. LeBron scored 28 points and compiled 12 assists to go along with 14 rebounds on the night.

‘Freight Train’ James made it look too easy and appeared to shift gears as the game got tight. There was too much fatigue on the OKC Thunder side to stop James. Mark Daigneault varied the defensive coverages on the superstar to no avail.

His only miscue occurred at the end of regulation when James had a chance to end the game but missed a step-back triple that would’ve given the Lakers the win.

Regardless, James still looked overly impressive during this contest as he had to produce more in Anthony Davis’s absence.

In Closing:

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• Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder

The OKC Thunder appeared to have gained control early in the match. While the undermanned squad built the lead to double-digits they did not have enough left in the tank to take down the defending world champs.

This game provided a great learning opportunity for this young team as eight players could see the bulk of the minutes and continue to become assimilate and execute coach Daigneault’s schemes and rotations.

Although there are no moral victories, some bright spots in this game will prove beneficial to this OKC Thunder team moving forward.

Next up, OKC plays the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Wednesday night.

Check out the box score here