Lakers respect the Thunder but insist they aren't intimidated by them - BERITAJA

The Lakers understand the daunting situation they’re about to look against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder successful the Western Conference semifinals.

Lakers coach JJ Redick referenced the awesome Chicago Bulls teams that won back-to-back championships successful 1996 and ’97 and the Golden State Warriors teams that won titles successful 2015 and ’17 erstwhile talking about the Thunder aft believe Sunday.

“The Thunder is 1 of the top teams ever successful NBA history,” Redick said. “It’s conscionable the reality. They’re that good. I deliberation our guys admit that and respect that, and we cognize what benignant of task we person successful beforehand of us.”

The Thunder had the champion grounds successful the regular play astatine 64-18. They were classed first successful protect field-goal percent (43.7%), first successful protect standing (106.5), first successful nett standing (43.7) and 2nd successful points fixed up per crippled (107.9).

They person the league’s reigning about valuable subordinate successful Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is the starring campaigner to repetition arsenic MVP. He was 2nd successful scoring this play (31.1 points per game) and leads the postseason successful scoring (33.8).

The Thunder conscionable swept the Phoenix Suns successful their first-round series. The Lakers eliminated the Houston Rockets successful six games.

This play the Thunder hit the Lakers by an mean of 29.2 points per crippled successful sweeping the four-game set. So the Lakers are facing agelong likelihood to triumph this series, but they opportunity they aren’t intimidated heading into Game 1 connected Tuesday night.

“You could respect the squad but you can’t fearfulness them,” guardant Jake LaRavia said. “You can’t travel into the crippled fearing the force and past you’re conscionable gonna travel successful and get punked. So, we respect really bully this squad is, but our extremity is to triumph — triumph the games and triumph the series. So, our mindset stays the same.”

The Thunder person a estimation arsenic a stingy protect squad — they were called for the seventh-fewest fouls per crippled (19) this season.

“They’re apical 5 successful each class that’s disruptive-base: steals, blocks, turnovers forced, each that stuff. And they don’t foul,” Redick said. “They someway do each of that without fouling, which is 1 of the about singular things, I think, successful NBA history.”

Gilgeous-Alexander is celebrated for drafting fouls. He took 9 free throws per crippled this season, third-most successful the league.

“Nobody’s been capable to extremity him each season,” Redick said. “So, you could dream and pray.”

Oklahoma City prima Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives against the Lakers during a Thunder triumph connected April 2.

(Cooper Neill / Getty Images)

The Lakers had their ain limb astatine the free-throw line, but it’s unclear erstwhile Luka Doncic mightiness return from injury. The All-Star constituent defender hasn’t played since sustaining a Grade 2 near hamstring strain against the Thunder connected April 2.

Doncic was coming disconnected a magical month, becoming the only subordinate successful history different than Michael Jordan to people 600 points successful March.

Redick had nary update connected Doncic’s position — he remains retired indefinitely.

But the Lakers sewage by the Rockets pinch LeBron James starring the way. He averaged 23.2 points, 8.3 assists and 7.2 rebounds successful the six games. And prima defender Austin Reaves, who besides was injured successful the April 2 crippled against the Thunder, returned to thief hit the Rockets.

Still, fewer deliberation the Lakers, who precocious past the first information for the first clip since 2023, could get by the heavy and talented Thunder.

“You could opportunity cipher thought we were going to get past Houston, but everybody successful this building believed,” Reaves said. “It’s the aforesaid mindset going into this. We evidently cognize the squad that we’re about to look and really bully they are and the problems that they could create for 48 minutes. So, we’ll person to fastener successful each azygous day, film, immoderate it could be, to proceed to get amended and and salary attraction to each the small specifications for illustration they do.”