As the Lakers and Warriors face off in a playoff-like atmosphere tonight, Shaquille O’Neal made a bold claim about them on “Inside the NBA” Friday, taking a dig at the No. 2-seeded OKC Thunder.
"The Lakers or the Warriors could beat the Thunder in the first round."
— Shaq 👀
(via @NBAonTNT)pic.twitter.com/Q18W2K2p8l
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 15, 2024
O’Neal eventually doubled down on his remarks, saying the Lakers or Warriors “will” beat OKC regardless of a 1-8 or 2-7 matchup.
Both teams, who have etched their names championship glory, are on track to duke it out in the 2024 Play-in as the No. 9 and 10 seeds, respectively. Focusing on his former franchise, how accurate are Shaq’s comments amid the Lakers’ spiraling season? If LA made it to the first-round, how well would they match up against a young and hungry OKC squad?
Former Star Claims Lakers “Will” Beat This Team in the First Round
Background: Lakers-Thunder Season Series
The Lakers may not be able to beat many top-tier teams in the West, but they had OKC’s number in three of their four matchups together. LA’s last win against OKC came on Mar. 4. D’Angelo Russell led them with 26 points (9/17 FG, 5/11 3PT, 3/5 FT), six rebounds, four steals, three assists and a block. Anthony Davis chipped in 24 points (7/12 FG) and 12 rebounds, while LeBron James poured in a near triple-double (19 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists). The Lakers also held Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to 20 points, four assists and four steals that night and Chet Holmgren to 15 points on 6/14 shooting.
The purple and gold, who are now 36-31, have a mere 15 games remaining in the regular season. That means 15 games to gain momentum heading into the Play-in, and 15 more chances for the team to get back to full strength.
The Thunder, meanwhile, are standing at 46-20 and are poised to have one of their best seasons since losing in the first round of the 2020 playoffs—not to mention the best season of head coach Mark Daigneault’s career. At times occupying the top seed in the conference, SGA, Chet and the rest of the Thunder are making some noise in a West that’s loaded with much more playoff experience.
Potential Matchup Between the Lakers and Thunder
Considering LA’s winning record over the Thunder this season, Shaq’s prediction may not be so bold after all. The Thunder, aside from their win over the Lakers in December, have had no answer for them in the three games since then. In that span, Davis averaged 25.7 points, 12.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game—along with one steal and one block. James has impressed with a line of 28 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7 assists. And Russell (18 PPG, 4 APG) and Austin Reaves (14 PPG, 7 APG) also made their marks in all victories.
The Lakers have managed to exploit OKC’s top-five defense through their outside shooting and paint dominance, among other factors. LA averaged nearly 117 points per game against OKC this season on 50% shooting from the field, 41% from deep and 81% from the line. They also put up 46 rebounds—37 of those on the defensive end—and 30 assists per game. Meanwhile, OKC averaged 115.5 points per game on .456/.333/.868 splits, along with 42 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 9.5 steals and 6.5 blocks.
LA’s height advantage has led to success in the key, both in terms of scoring and rebounding. An underrated aspect of the Lakers’ last win was a 55-38 margin on the boards that sealed the deal.
The team’s defense has also stifled OKC’s third-ranked offense, going for seven steals and six blocks per contest. Limiting Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren has been crucial, even if other players scored double-digits in the process. The Thunder’s star duo has averaged a combined 43.1 points per game, accounting for nearly 38% of OKC’s points against LA this season. It’s been another key reason why the Lakers figured out and frustrated the Thunder throughout the year.
The Last Word
The Lakers’s bonuses in size, shooting and defense allowed them to thrive against a solid yet inexperienced Thunder team. If both teams meet in the playoffs, LA’s past performances should put OKC on upset watch. The team has developed and executed several tactics that have foiled the Thunder’s chances. As a result, they have as good of a chance as any other contender to send the Thunder home early.
