There’s a small sliver of hope settling over Lakers fans as the Western Conference semifinal series shifts to Southern California this weekend.
Fans aren’t panicking yet, but make no mistake about it, the walls are closing in on the Lakers’ season.
Down 2-0 to the reigning champion Thunder, the Lakers aren’t just chasing wins, they’re chasing history, they’re chasing the odds, they’re even chasing the officials.
Let’s start with history. Teams that go up 2-0 in a best-of-seven series go on to win that series 93.7% of the time. In the conference semifinals, the odds are roughly the same; teams that take a 2-0 lead are111-8 all timein the second round.
Lakers fans will always believe in their team, but the better question is whether there’s something tangible to grab onto that provides proof LA can send this series back to OKC.
Firstly, the Lakers have actuallydone a credible job guardingShai Gilgeous-Alexander. The reigning MVP hasn’t had much space to operate, much less be his dominant self. LA has thrown multiple coverages at him the second he crosses half court.
They held him to 18 points in Game 1 and 13 points through the third quarter in Game 2.
And yet, the Thunder are up 2-0.
Because while the Lakers have been busy chasing the head of the snake, the body has been striking everywhere else.Chet Holmgren has 46 points and 21 rebounds.Ajay Mitchell has 38. The Thunder aren’t just deep, they’re surgical. They can beat you in so many ways. As soon as the Lakers take away one option, they crush you with three more.
Which leads us to the first thing the Lakers must do to win Games 3 and 4 at home.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
