OU wins Bedlam
LOS ANGELES — The recruiting pitch started pregame, the occasional voice from the stands at the Staples Center calling out to Paul George.
“Paul!” one said. “Come to L.A.!”
“Next year, PG!” another shouted.
There was a roar from the crowd when George — the L.A.-area native who’s been so complimentary of the city this week — was introduced as a Thunder starter.
By the time Oklahoma City had finished dismantling the Lakers 133-96 on Wednesday behind George’s 22 points, it was easy to see why the fans here want him so much.
And it was clear the gap between the team that covets George and the one that has him.
The Thunder played one of its most dominating, most dazzling games of the season, with Russell Westbrook darting around the Lakers with killer crossovers, Carmelo Anthony draining catchand-shoot jumpers and George playing his twoway game.
The Lakers, playing without point guard Lonzo Ball, were tied 26-26 after a quarter, then looked powerless to slow OKC in the second. The Thunder outscored L.A. 37-18 in the second, getting a combined 28 points from George, Westbrook and Anthony.
It served as a reminder that the Thunder, even with its head-scratching inconsistency this season, is head and shoulders in front of the Lakers in the quest to compete.
For one night, even the Thunder’s best young piece looked like the best one on the floor. Terrance Ferguson erupted for a career-high 24 points, matching George for the game high. Anthony scored 21 points, Westbrook 20 and Steven Adams 12 as the Thunder cruised.
Oklahoma City led by as many as 39 points. It outscored the Lakers 66-44 in the paint. It shot 60.2 percent to Los Angeles’ 41.3. It turned 17 Lakers turnovers into 21 points and got 32 points off its bench, despite having five starters in double figures.
It was a clear indication that, while George spent the better part of his media availability the past two days talking about his connections to L.A. — to family and friends, to Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw and legend Kobe Bryant — the Thunder has a card to play in its quest to keep him.
It’s closer to winning.
“Sales pitch is gonna be when we win a championship,” Westbrook said at Wednesday’s shootaround. “Beat that pitch.”
The Thunder (21-17) doesn’t look like a title contender at this point. But it’s a lot closer than the Lakers, and that’s not lost on George.
His ties to Los Angeles are strong. He’s from nearby Palmdale, California, and he spoke glowingly this week about playing in front of friends and family. His parents, Paul and Paulette, sat courtside on Wednesday.
George blew a kiss in their direction after one first-half 3-pointer, then hugged his father after another prompted a Lakers timeout.
“I always want to play good at home,” George said earlier in the day. “I always want to play good in front of this crowd here, in front of this fan base. Because it’s more than just fans here. It’s family, it’s friends.
“So yeah, I always want to play my best when I come to L.A.”
But on the court, the 11-26 Lakers aren’t the Thunder. The standings make it clear, and Wednesday’s game underscored the point.
“I’ve got a lot to think about,” George told ESPN prior to Wednesday’s game.
“This summer will be huge. I’ve got a lot to think about. If we’re trending, if we’re going in the right direction, if I feel there is something that we’re building, and there’s a foundation, it would be kind of clueless, just stupid on my behalf to up and leave.”