LeBron James Needs More Support as Lakers Face OKC in NBA Playoffs

LeBron James is facing significant offensive pressure as the Los Angeles Lakers compete against the Oklahoma City Thunder. For any chance of an upset against the reigning champions, James requires more assistance from his teammates. However, there are glimmers of hope.

Austin Reaves has not yet returned to peak form following his multi-week injury layoff. In the game against OKC, had the guard simply made a few more shots, Game 1 could have been a nail-biter. The Lakers are now oscillating between familiar concerns and renewed optimism. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers are grappling with their own persistent issues, and the Detroit Pistons appear to have learned valuable lessons from their series against the Orlando Magic.

These are the key takeaways from the night in the NBA Playoffs.

‘Make More Shots’: Lakers Need Scoring from Reaves

‘We usually have a guy who scores 37 points a game.’ LeBron James quickly offered an explanation for the Lakers’ offensive struggles. Los Angeles has failed to reach the 100-point mark in their last four games. In Game 1 against OKC, they managed a total of just 90 points. It’s debatable whether the ‘Purple and Gold’ would have automatically won the game with Luka Doncic, the ‘guy’ James referred to. ‘Luka Magic’ had been somewhat subdued against OKC this season, partly due to injuries, scoring 19 and 12 points respectively, falling short of his usual stellar performances.

His scoring ability would have undoubtedly been beneficial. In Game 1, James delivered an impressive performance with an efficient 27 points (12/17 FG, 3/6 3FG). With Doncic, the primary option, absent, LeBron stepped up admirably, effectively playing the role of a secondary scorer. But what about the presumed second option, the rising star of recent years, Austin Reaves? He contributed almost nothing.

Reaves was the only starter to score in single digits with just 8 points, and his shooting was abysmal (3/16 FG). He missed all his three-point attempts (0/5) and often didn’t even hit the rim. This was the worst shooting performance by a Lakers player who took at least 15 shots in the last 35 years. According to ESPN’s tracking (and observation), he missed all ten of his contested shots. The last player to achieve that in the postseason was Draymond Green in 2023 – not exactly ideal company.

‘He was out for a month,’ LeBron defended him. Reaves himself refused to use his injury layoff as an excuse, stating, ‘I don’t think anyone cares about that. I have to go out there and play better.’

Furthermore, this wasn’t his first game back after the break. He returned for the final two games of the series against the Houston Rockets. The rust was still evident in those games. In his last three outings, he’s shooting a combined 14/46 FG and 2/17 3FG.

What can he improve in Game 2? ‘I mean, obviously, it would be easy to say now that I need to make more shots,’ he acknowledged, recognizing the simple yet accurate answer.

Thunder’s Depth and Lakers’ Carelessness: Redick Has Reason to Fret

He should also pass this advice along to his teammates, as other role players were also rarely accurate. While Rui Hachimura (18 points, 3/6 3FG) may be exempt from criticism, the rest of the Hollywood contingent, besides Hachimura and LeBron, shot a combined 4/18 from three-point range. Marcus Smart made only two of his eight threes, and Luke Kennard (7 points, 1/3 3FG) later heard from Redick that he should be taking more shots.

‘We actually won the ‘Expected Score’. We were good enough to win,’ the head coach expressed both frustration and hope, looking at the statistics. Most importantly, he had a crucial plea for his team: ‘Don’t just give the ball away! We had ten turnovers in the second half alone.’ In total, the Lakers committed 17 turnovers against the formidable ball-hawking Thunder. Reaves was also partly responsible (4 TO). This has been a recurring problem for the Lakers, who have produced the most turnovers per game among all playoff teams so far.

Redick may also need to adjust his lineups. Maxi Kleber did not play at all, and Bronny James, who was at times ‘very important’ against the Rockets, only saw action in garbage time. They cannot entirely solve the shooting problems, and Bronny can only partially alleviate the ball-handling and passing burden. However, a new spark, perhaps considering Jake LaRavia, who hasn’t been brilliant so far, could be beneficial. Additionally, Redick will need to rethink his strategy due to the devastating injury to Jarred Vanderbilt.

Under any circumstances, Redick will likely envy the opposing bench. Mark Daigneault deployed ten players for at least ten minutes. Aaron Wiggins also played nearly five minutes. ‘My goal before the game was to use all eleven players before halftime and give everyone an opportunity to gain initial experience in the series,’ he explained his strategy of consistently fielding well-rested players.

‘We need every single one of them. I say that, and I try to back it up with my actions,’ the championship coach added. His team reciprocated that trust. MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shot over half his attempts (8/15 FG) but was held scoring-wise due to the Lakers’ constant double-teaming, finishing with 18 points – his first time under 20 points this season.

In his stead, Chet Holmgren led the scoring with 24 points. The injured Jalen Williams was admirably covered by Ajay Mitchell (18 PTS, 4 AST). Jared McCain, coming off the bench, scored nearly as many points (12) as all of the Lakers’ reserves combined (15). OKC once again lived up to its reputation as the deepest team in the NBA.

Superstars and Super Lineups Still Being Sought in Cleveland

Had Sam Merrill not gotten injured early in Game 1 or if Thomas Bryant had played just 15 seconds more, the Cavs might have also fielded ten players for over ten minutes. However, unlike OKC, there was no indication that Kenny Atkinson had planned this, or that his plan was particularly successful.

Jarrett Allen, who had been a hero in Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors, played just over 18 minutes. He had already accumulated three fouls midway through the first quarter. Even though it wasn’t his best game, this was only about eight minutes more than – you guessed it – Thomas Bryant.

Bryant also started the fourth quarter, along with Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis. It’s questionable whether this is the optimal lineup for the second round of the NBA Playoffs. The comeback attempt in the third quarter initially faltered. While the Cavs did tie the game in the final quarter, when the Pistons responded with a quick run, star players Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell were forced to sit on the bench.

It could be sarcastically noted that superstars Mitchell and James Harden, in their respective 35 minutes (Cunningham played 41 on the opposing side), didn’t perform much better. The backcourt duo combined for 55 points, which is acceptable. However, Harden missed a lot of shots (6/15 FG, 1/7 3FG) and for the third time this postseason, had more turnovers (7) than made field goals. He later admitted critically, ‘That cost us the game.’ Along with his teammates, he contributed to a concerning playoff record for turnovers, and the Pistons capitalized on the fast breaks for 31 points.

Mitchell, with 3 turnovers, had a somewhat smaller role in the debacle. His shooting percentages (9/19 FG, 4/10 3FG) were also better than Harden’s. However, his usual Game 1 explosion was absent. He had scored at least 30 points in nine consecutive Game 1s to start a series. Against Detroit, he managed only 23 points.

More concerning is the trend in recent games. In the first two playoff games, ‘Spida’ averaged 31.0 PPG (True Shooting: 66.4%), making 19 of 33 shots near the rim and taking eight free throws. In the following six games, these numbers dropped to 20.3 PPG (True Shooting: 48.3%), eleven of 21 near the rim, and twelve free throws. He subsequently complained about not getting calls anymore: ‘It’s frustrating.’ And not just that.

Pistons Learn from the Drama Against the Magic

Detroit is pleased to see star players Cunningham and Jalen Duren, who had a +19 plus-minus during their shared minutes against Cleveland. Although Cunningham only made six of nineteen shots, the point guard is known for his ability to completely control a game on the court without needing a high shooting percentage. Moreover, he was clutch in the decisive moments.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Cavs had tied the score at 93-93. This was followed by a 6-0 run by the Pistons, from which the Cavaliers never recovered. The game plan was neither creative nor secret, but it worked three times in a row until Kenny Atkinson called a timeout: Pass to Cunningham, Dunk by Duren, points for the Pistons.

Duren scored a total of 11 points and earned his second consecutive double-double with diligent work on the boards (12 REB, 7 OR). The All-Star had struggled for a long time against the Magic but found his form late in the series.

Starting not only series but also individual games better was one of the key learnings for the young Pistons team after their seven-game thriller against the Orlando Magic. ‘When you have to play in three elimination games, you understand how important the start is,’ explained Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

Although both teams had only two days of rest after their Game 7, Detroit appeared significantly fresher and more focused at the beginning. In the first quarter, the East’s top seed held an 18-point lead at one point.

‘You understand how to finish games and close them out. Then your confidence grows that you can do it. That series helped us a lot.’ The Pistons now only need to address their performance in the second and third quarters.

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