Five takeaways from Thunder's win vs. Lakers
The Thunder never trailed and routed the Los Angeles Lakers 105-86 Wednesday night in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, raising its NBA restart record to 2-1.
Here are five takeaways from the Thunder's impressive victory:
Paul's third quarter
None of the stars for either team distinguished themselves in the first half. That changed in the third quarter.
While Lakers LeBron James and Anthony Davis continued to struggle (two of 10 shooting in the period), the Thunder's Chris Paul took control. CP3 made four of five shots, had two of OKC's six assists in the quarter. The Thunder had just seven assists in the entire first half.
Paul finished with 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, with seven rebounds and six assists.
Strong defense
The Lakers made just five of 37 3-point shots and missed open looks. But the Thunder made things tough on LeBron James and didn't give Anthony Davis many shots at all.
Davis made just three of his 11 shots and was just 3-of-8 inside the 3-point arc. Steve Adams, Nerlens Noel and even Danilo Gallinari held up well against Davis.
LeBron, who leads the league in assists, had just four against OKC. He finished with 19 points on 7-of-19 shooting. Lu Dort and Andre Roberson had most of the LeBron duties.
Surviving Schroder's absence
The Thunder rose to 1-1 without Dennis Schroder in the Orlando bubble. The supersub left Florida to be with his wife, who just gave birth to their second child.
Without Schroder, the Thunder bench
is hard-pressed to score. Against the Lakers, OKC's reserves produced just 20 points and made just seven of 22 shots.
But Hamidou Diallo provided energy (and six rebounds), Roberson played solid defense and Noel was active in his 18 minutes before fouling out.
Adams injured
Thunder center Steven Adams left the game with 7:33 left in the third quarter, with an apparent lower left leg injury.
Laker center JaVale McGee fell on Adams' leg earlier in the period, and Adams was noticeably bothered for the next few possessions.
The Thunder led 62-51 when Adams departed but went on a 17-8 run without him to take a
20-point lead. Adams returned with 1:06 left in the third quarter and OKC up 79-66.
Adams finished strong, with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting and seven rebounds.
Better ball security
Before the game, Thunder coach Billy Donovan bemoaned all the turnovers his team has committed both in bubble exhibitions and the first two seeding games. Then OKC committed nine turnovers in the first half Wednesday.
But the Thunder committed just four turnovers in the second half, before Donovan cleared the bench in the final two minutes. The Lakers had just five points off turnovers in the second half.