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Why Lakers’ Luka Doncic wouldn’t have made a difference against Thunder
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- Why Lakers’ Luka Doncic wouldn’t have made a difference against Thunder
Do you know the craziest part of the Lakers ' second-round playoff series against the Thunder?
There's such a wide chasm between the two teams that it has all-but-nullified what would've been a burning question in every other series involving LA.
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Would things have been different had Luka Doncic played?
Without knowing it then, the Grade 2 hamstring strain Luka Doncic suffered on April 2 was the last time he took the court this season. NBAE via Getty Images
Doncic, who has been sidelined since April 2 because of a strained hamstring, was a top-five MVP contender. He led the league in scoring (33.5 points), was third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6). He became the second player in NBA history to score 600-plus points in March alongside Michael Jordan.
Would a generational talent like that have swayed things?
Nope. And it's very obvious.
So obvious that pundits have hardly postulated about the question on talk shows. Journalists haven't really mulled over it in columns.
The Thunder are that good.
Even without Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City looks like a juggernaut and the favorites to win the NBA title again. AP
Sure, the Lakers would've had an easier time scoring if Doncic had been on the court.
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But it still wouldn't have been enough.
The Thunder's top-rated defense would've collapsed on him and they still would've had ample depth to swarm everyone else.
It's really incredible.
Players one through five on the court for Oklahoma City at all times are gnats, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , Lu Dort , Chet Holmgren , Isaiah Hartenstein , Alex Caruso , Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell .
The Lakers' offense simply wouldn't have been able to withstand it.
Wallace has discombobulated Austin Reaves . Dort has frustrated LeBron James . Luke Kennard has only made a dent in one game this series. Really, Rui Hachimura has been the only Laker who has consistently shot well.
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As for the other end of the court?
Doncic would've been a defensive liability. He would've been yet another target for the Thunder to attack with their dribble-drives, alongside Austin Reaves and Luke Kennard, who have basically been rendered unplayable together this series.
Doncic has missed the entire postseason after leading the NBA in scoring during the regular season. NBAE via Getty Images
Get past them?
Deandre Ayton has been largely ineffective patrolling the paint.
Chet Holmgren has had his way down low. Mitchell has had his way everywhere.
The Lakers one bright spot on the defensive end is they've stunningly held Gilgeous-Alexander to 21 points a game this series, a marked dip from the postseason-leading 33.8 points he averaged in the team's first-round sweep against the Suns, but that hasn't even made a dent.
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The Thunder are simply too deep, They have no holes.
Meanwhile, they took a floodlight to the Lakers' roster, exposing their many deficiencies.
This was no surprise. The Lakers lost their four regular season games to the Thunder by an average of 29 points. When Doncic was on the court, nothing changed for them. And nothing would've changed now.
With Doncic on the sidelines, the Lakers trail the Thunder 3-0 in the Western Conference semifinals heading into Monday's Game 4. Getty Images
As for Lakers coach JJ Redick , when asked if he has thought about how differently things could've looked if Doncic had been on the court, he didn't hesitate.
"Never," he said.
He likely didn't want to waste his time on hypotheticals. He had too much on his plate. But we all know this wasn't a burning "what if" question anyway.
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Even an MVP-contender couldn't have plugged the Lakers' problems.
They need to remake their roster. They need to have a huge offseason. It's obvious they can't compete against the reigning champions. They can for a quarter. Maybe two. Three on a good day. But they simply aren't deep enough to sustain that effort for an entire game.
If they had Doncic, they likely would've won one game.
But the outcome of this series wouldn't have changed.
Even though he wasn't available for the end of the season, the Lakers are expected to build around Doncic in the offseason. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
No Doncic? No difference.
The Thunder are just too good.
