Lakers drop Game 3 to Thunder; now one loss from elimination

"The Lakers are in a hole no team has climbed out of in the history of the NBA, the Lakers' 131-108 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 putting L.A. down 3-0 in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series. Game 4 is Monday night here in Los Angeles, a night the Lakers will try to stave off elimination and a night that will determine how the conversations will go with James if they lose."

"As James sat at his locker with both knees wrapped iced, after he had scored 19 points on seven-for-19 shooting, two-for-six on three-pointers, handed out eight assists and grabbed six rebounds, he was asked if this group of Lakers should acknowledge that a loss Monday night could be their last time playing together as currently constructed. "No, you really don't talk about that," Jame said. "You focus on the moment at hand and go from there.""

"The Lakers are fully aware that no NBA team has successfully come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs, with those teams holding a 161-0 record. Only four teams have forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-0, all of which ultimately lost the series, including the Boston Celtics in 2023. The Lakers have now lost all three games by double-digits, the 23-point defeat Saturday being the most lopsided of them all. They have lost the three games by an average of 19.6 points per game."

The Lakers are down 3-0 to the Oklahoma City Thunder after a 131-108 loss in Game 3, placing them one defeat from ending their season. No NBA team has overcome a 3-0 playoff deficit, and teams that have forced a Game 7 from such a position have still lost the series. The Lakers have lost all three games by double digits, averaging a 19.6-point margin. LeBron James scored 19 points with eight assists and six rebounds while Rui Hachimura added 21 and Austin Reaves had 17 points and nine assists. Asked whether a Monday loss could be the last time the group plays together, James said they should not discuss it and should focus on the moment at hand.

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