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The LA Lakers are on a three-game winning roll after just beating the OKC Thunder 116-111. LA’s win hiked their record up to an even 37-37, the first time they’ve breached the .500 mark this season.
Basketball fans just couldn’t resist sending in their reactions from the Lakers’ hard-fought win over the Thunder:
“Started from the bottom now my whole f team here”
One fan hilariously noted how long it took for the LA Lakers to get to this point:
"Took them 76 games but better late than never"
The LA Lakers started the season in disarray, losing their first five games. They eventually fell to 2-10 when they lost to the Sacramento Kings 120-114 on Nov. 11. The mark was tied for the worst in franchise history.
LA held a 26-32 record after the trade deadline. They are now 12-6 since Rob Pelinka traded Russell Westbrook via a three-team deal. The arrival of Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, who was acquired in another trade, and D'Angelo Russell has significantly improved the roster.
The LA Lakers had three chances to hit the .500 mark and failed to breach it until now. They are now tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the seventh position in the Western Conference.
LA's road to at least the play-in tournament isn't safe yet, given its schedule. The Lakers still have eight regular-season games to go with five of them on the road. With the way the bunched-up Western Conference standings are set, every game will be crucial.
Besides the Houston Rockets, all seven of the LA Lakers' opponents are still vying for a play-in or outright playoff spot. LA will face the Chicago Bulls twice, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Rockets, the Utah Jazz twice and the Phoenix Suns.
LA needs to win at least six of its final eight games to have its fate in its hands.
Dennis Schroder and Anthony Davis carried the LA Lakers to a win over the OKC Thunder
Anthony Davis had a game-high 37 points and 15 rebounds. He was the biggest thorn in the OKC Thunder's side all night. Davis battled hard despite all the attention focused on him.
AD grabbed five offensive rebounds and changed several shots while protecting the rim. No one was more impactful than him on both ends of the floor for the LA Lakers.
Dennis Schroder, starting tonight with D'Angelo Russell suffering from a hip injury, was big down the stretch. The German international scattered 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to help Davis carry the team to victory.
Before celebrating their well-deserved win, the Lakers nearly blew a 17-point lead. It would have been another embarrassing defeat had they wilted and succumbed to the Thunder's rally.
After building a 41-25 lead in the first period, the gritty Thunder slowly but steadily chipped the Lakers' lead for three quarters. OKC outscored LA 86-75 over the next three 12-minute periods to make the game interesting.
If Schroder and Davis had not come up big in the clutch, the Lakers would have been lambasted by their own fans.
Guess the Lakers players!
