Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers
3/9/14
12:30 PM Pacific time / 3:30 PM Eastern Time
Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA
TV: Local: None National: ABC
Line: Los Angeles Lakers +12.5
2013-14 Records:
Los Angeles Lakers: 21-42, 15th in the Western Conference
Oklahoma City Thunder: 46-16, 1st in the Western Conference
Record vs. each other (2013-14 season): Thunder are 2-0 versus the Lakers this season
- The Lakers are having a hard enough time competing as it is, having lost 3 in a row and 6 of their last 8 games. Exacerbating their already grime state, the Lakers will now face the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs who share the best record in the entire NBA along with the Indiana Pacers, at 46-16, over the next 4 games.
- The Lakers get the Oklahoma City Thunder today for an early Noon time tip-off, then get a few days off before having to face the same Thunder in Oklahoma City on Thursday. The Lakers will then get the San Antonio Spurs in an almost impossible 2nd night of a back to back that Friday in San Antonio. Lakers will get 5 days rest before seeing the Spurs again at Staples Center on Wednesday.
- The Lakers have struggled defensively all year, but they’ve even gotten worse in just the last 8 games where they have been unable to keep their opponents under 100 points in that span. The Lakers have given up 100 or more points to their opponents in 10 of the last 11 games, including 142 to the Clippers on Thursday, March 6th.
- The Thunder have struggled a bit since the return of Russell Westbrook, losing their first 3 games. However, the turned that around, winning their next 3 games before losing to the Phoenix Suns at Phoenix on Thursday.
- Russell Westbrook is averaging 21.0 points, 7.3 assists and 2.3 steals in his 7 games since his return from injury. In those 7 games, Westbrook, is shooting an efficient 50 percent from the field and a remarkably accurate 48.4 percent from the 3 point line.
- Not that it matters since D’Antoni rarely looks his way, Jordan Hill is a game time decision with a sore right knee. Nick Young is unlikely to play again with a swollen left knee.
- Kendrick Perkins and Thabo Sefolosha are out for the Thunder.
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