The Oklahoma City Thunder, despite the Lakers' best efforts, took a 2-0 series lead on Thursday night. They'll now head to Los Angeles with a clear mandate— bring the series to an end as quickly as possible and rest up for what lies ahead.
It won't be an easy task. The Lakers did virtually everything right against the Thunder in Game 2. They put as much defensive pressure as possible on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, holding him to 22 points on the night after a relatively limited 18-point performance in Game 1. They held up well offensively, keeping the game close well into the fourth quarter on the shoulders of a massive night from Austin Reaves.
But the Thunder's swarming defense forced 20 turnovers, and their offensive contributors outside of their superstar held their own. By the time Oklahoma City pulled away in the fourth quarter, it was clear that the Lakers had been worn down.
If the Thunder go all the way to the NBA Finals, Los Angeles probably isn't the best team they'll face during this playoff run. But in answering the problem the Lakers have posed to them, they've levied a new question to the NBA at large.
How do you account for the Thunder's depth offensively if selling out on Gilgeous-Alexander doesn't yield results?
The Lakers' defensive strategy has fallen flat against the Thunder
Despite their defensive deficits and the absence of Luka Doncic, the Lakers are still an extremely well-coached team. Their strategy from the outset of this series has been to limit Gilgeous-Alexander whenever possible, forcing him to move the ball to his teammates and pass up some of the shots he'd normally be taking in the mid-range.
The problem is that Gilgeous-Alexander is more than willing to make that sacrifice, and his teammates are wholly capable of capitalizing on their opportunities.
Chet Holmgren finished Game 2 with 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field. Ajay Mitchell finished with 20. Jared McCain finished with 18, sinking four of his five attempts from beyond the arc on the night. Even Cason Wallace made a pair of big threes to help put the game away in the fourth.
The Thunder's strength has always been their depth, and it showed in Game 2. Over a 48-minute span, their defense can open up numerous extra opportunities for their offense in transition. Even if you're able to limit Gilgeous-Alexander, the onslaught from the rest of the roster is relentless.
If they advance and face the San Antonio Spurs or the Minnesota Timberwolves in the next round, they'll see an entirely different defensive strategy, and they'll need to adapt again. But with the way they've dominated the Lakers so far, it's clear that the Thunder simply have too many offensive performers to account for defensively.
You can hang with the Thunder for a half, or even for a full four quarters. But surpassing them over the course of a full 48 minutes, let alone an entire seven-game series, is starting to seem like an impossible feat considering the way they've played so far.
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