On-point Lakers pummel OKC, end Thunder’s brief stay atop NBA West
D'Angelo Russell sinks multiple wild three-pointers in a breakaway fourth quarter as the Los Angeles Lakers blow out the red-hot Oklahoma City Thunder
LeBron James scored 19 points to go along with 11 rebounds and eight assists as the host Los Angeles Lakers earned a 116-104 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday (Tuesday, March 5, Manila time).
D’Angelo Russell scored 26 points and made five 3-pointers, Anthony Davis had 24 points and 12 rebounds and Austin Reaves added 16 points as the Lakers defeated one of the Western Conference’s top teams two days after they failed to close out a victory over the defending champion Denver Nuggets.
Los Angeles improved to 10-4 dating back to a road victory over the Boston Celtics to start February and matched a season high by going five games over .500 at 34-29.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 points and hauled in seven rebounds and Chet Holmgren added 15 points and seven rebounds for the Thunder, who had just moved back into sole possession of first place in the conference with a road victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
Oklahoma City slipped back to second behind the Minnesota Timberwolves, who beat the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.
Luguentz Dort also scored 15 points, Josh Giddey had 13 and Aaron Wiggins added 12 for Oklahoma City, which lost for just the second time in its past nine games.
The Thunder went up 13-2 just over three minutes into the game, and they soon led 20-8.
The Lakers roared back to tie the game at 25-all at the end of the first quarter and were up by as many as 10 points in the second before taking a 52-43 lead into the break despite 12 first-half turnovers.
Los Angeles kept up the pressure in the third quarter, leading by 17 four times before taking an 89-72 lead into the final period.
The Lakers took their first 20-point lead at 97-77 on a 3-pointer from Russell to beat the shot clock with 10:12 remaining. Russell made it three consecutive 3-pointers, all heavily contested, to put Los Angeles up 103-79 with 9:06 left.
The Lakers cruised to the victory from there, winning the season series 3-1 over the Thunder. – Rappler.com