OKC Thunder seek to make it 3 in a row versus Lakers: preview

Lakers guard Wayne Ellington (2) guards OKC Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2): Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Lakers guard Wayne Ellington (2) guards OKC Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2): Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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OKC Thunder
Westbrook (0). Oklahoma City won 123-115. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

For the second time, this season the OKC Thunder have a winning streak in hand. Granted it’s only two games but a week after being the punching bag for the media and Twitter trolls it’s nice to not be their target entering tonight’s match.

That privilege falls to the LA Lakers who have fallen twice to the Thunder in spectacular fashion. I waited to get up the preview today wondering what the talking heads would have to say and sure enough, the majority are saying “it’s impossible LA will lose three times to the Thunder”.

Sure makes Thunder fans desirous of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, and Josh Giddey putting on a show and doing precisely that!

OKC Thunder seek to make it  three in a row versus Lakers

Suffice to say if the Thunder were to lose to the Lakers it wouldn’t be earth-shattering news.  Conversely, if the Lakers lose it might be the push that gets Frank Vogel fired.

Although let’s be serious Vogel can’t take the shots or force his team to play with heart and energy. He’d be the fall guy and seriously do any of us believe the coach is the issue in LA?

A win in OKC would end the home losing streak of three games in a row and give the fans the joy of being able to rub it in the mass of Lakers fans nationwide.

Of the eight wins the Thunder have amassed six have come versus Western Conference teams so they’re performing better in their own conference through this point in the season.

Ironically, the Lakers sport an identical 6-9 record versus the West. Meanwhile, this is the fourth back-to-backs the Lakers have played and in the three previous situations, they are 1-2 on the second matches in those sets.