Thunder crush Lakers as Doncic hurt, Cavs clinch NBA playoff berth
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket in a lopsided NBA victory over the Los Angeles Lakers (Cooper Neill) The NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder embarrassed the Los Angeles Lakers 139-96 on Thursday in a blowout made more painful by the early exit of injured Lakers star Luka Doncic. The marquee showdown between Most Valuable Player contenders Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic fizzled long before Doncic limped out midway through the third quarter with a left hamstring injury. Doncic, who came into the contest leading the league in scoring with 33.
8 points per game -- ahead of Gilgeous-Alexander's 31. 6 -- was emotional as he hobbled toward the sideline. Moments earlier he had pulled up in apparent pain while driving to the basket.
The Slovenian, who scored 40 or more points in each of his last three games, will have an MRI scan on Friday, Lakers coach JJ Redick said. "At this point, at this juncture of the season, it's the last thing you want to see," Lakers superstar LeBron James said. It was a brutal reality check for the Lakers.
They had won four straight and 13 of their prior 14 as they try to cement their hold on the third seed in the West with the playoffs starting on April 18. The 43-point margin of defeat was six shy of the worst in team history, a 49-point loss to Dallas in January 2017. "Nothing is rattled," James insisted.
"It's one game. " Reigning MVP Gilgeous-Alexander took some time to find his offensive rhythm, but his Oklahoma City teammates stepped up as the Thunder roared to a 44-21 lead through one quarter. Thunder guard Luguentz Dort went four-of-four from the three-point line on the way to 14 points in the opening frame, and Oklahoma City harried the Lakers into eight first-quarter turnovers leading to 14 Thunder points.