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The Oklahoma City Thunder will host the LA Lakers at Paycom Center on October 27th, 2021.
Coming off a win, the LA Lakers are on a streak after beating the San Antonio Spurs 125-121 in OT. The Oklahoma City Thunder, on the other hand, struggled to scratch in the win department. Suffering a 106-98 loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Thunder are now 0-4 for the 2021-22 season.
Match Details
Fixture - LA Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder | 2021-22 NBA Season
Date & Time - Wednesday, October 27th, 2021; 8:00 PM ET (Thursday, October 28th, 2021; 5:30 AM IST)
Venue - Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
LA Lakers Preview
The LA Lakers seem to have finally hit their stride in the regular-season. After assembling a lineup for the ages in the offseason, the Lakers struggled to establish chemistry on the court.
With six losses in the 2021-22 preseason leading to consecutive losses in the regular-season, the LA Lakers have put together two consecutive wins heading into their Wednesday night matchup.
Although the game against the Spurs saw LeBron James missing from the rotation due to injury, the LA Lakers finally saw Russell Westbrook find his groove for the side. The Lakers' duo of Anthony Davis and Westbrook combined for 68 points in the win.
With a dominant performance and a high octane offense run by Russell Westbrook, the LA Lakers have shown signs of settling into their system. Although a minor concern regarding Anthony Davis' knee injury arose in the game, he continued to play till the end.
While their status for the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder is questionable, the Lakers seem to have some momentum heading into the matchup.
Key Player - Russell Westbrook
After putting up a statline of 33 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, Russell Westbrook seemed to resemble his old self in the game against the San Antonio Spurs.
Westbrook's success as a floor general will have a huge role to play in the LA Lakers' success this season. With Westbrook taking over the role as playmaker, the pace of the offense puts a lot of pressure on the interior defenses of most teams.
Although he is still turnover prone and a poor three-point shooter, Westbrook showed his ability to finish at the rim while creating lob opportunities for big men in the dunker's spot. Being able to post up smaller guards near the rim also gives him the advantage in most situations.
Heading into the next game, Westbrook will be a key factor for the LA Lakers. With LeBron James potentially ruled out and Anthony Davis' status unknown, the Lakers will have to rely upon their newest star to get the rest of the roster involved in the offense.
LA Lakers Predicted Lineup
G - Russell Westbrook | G - Malik Monk | F - Kent Bazemore | F - Anthony Davis | C - DeAndre Jordan
Oklahoma City Thunder Preview
The Oklahoma City Thunder are coming off yet another loss in their 2021-22 campaign. With a 106-98 loss to the Warriors, the Thunder gave up a substantial lead to the former champions in the second half.
As a side served by a number of young players, the lack of experience tends to appear in late game situations. With Luguentz Dort and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being the few bright sparks on the team who saw playoff experience, the Oklahoma City Thunder do show some promise.
Gilgeous-Alexander is expected to have an All-Star caliber season as he bounces back from an injury. Dort, on the other hand, continues to add to his offensive arsenal while being a tough defender.
The Thunder's poor shooting percentage from deep may work against them in the matchup against the LA Lakers.
Key Player - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai is playing at a high-level for the Oklahoma City Thunder this season. Coming off a 30 point outing against the Golden State Warriors, Gilgeous-Alexander remains the most consistent and efficient scorer on the Thunder roster.
As the highest scoring player on the Oklahoma City Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will have his hands full in this matchup. While the LA Lakers defense does have a number of lapses that can be exploited, the task of exploiting them will have to fall upon Gilgeous-Alexander.
Although rookie Josh Giddey had an underwhelming night against the Warriors, he could also play an important role in the offense. As a passing swingman, Giddey's all-round ability to distribute will aid in spacing the floor for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
However, as a young team that still has no identity as such, the team will struggle to find its footing in an established system.
Oklahoma City Thunder Predicted Lineup
G - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | G - Josh Giddey | F - Luguentz Dort | F - Darius Bazley | C - Derrick Favors
Lakers vs Thunder Matchup Prediction
The LA Lakers should win this matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Although both teams are playing on the second night of a back-to-back and the Lakers may be additionally shorthanded, the overall experience and momentum on their side may help in seeing them through to another victory.
Where to watch Lakers vs Thunder?
The LA Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder game will be locally broadcast on Bally Sports Oklahoma. The game will also be available on the NBA's League Pass and for fans who have access to radio, the game will be available on WWLS/WKY.
Also Check Out: Complete NBA TV Schedule for 2021-22 Season
