Lakers show flashes, Thunder show the gap

The first half keeps telling one story. The second half keeps telling the truth.

That’s where things stand for the Lakers, who are now down 3-0 after a 131-108 loss to the Thunder in Game 3.

And yes, history says what it says. No team has ever come back from 0-3.

This one doesn’t feel like it’ll be the first.

Because the issue isn’t effort. It isn’t even the game plan. It’s the gap.

“We had moments in the first half that were really good for us,” LeBron James told reporters. “In the third quarter, we didn’t knock down shots… and allowed them to take us out of the game.”

That’s been the script all series.

The Lakers hang around. They compete. They even lead.

Then the Thunder flip the switch.

Oklahoma City outscored L.A. 33-20 in the third. Game over, basically. Again.

“I think we did a great job coming out of the half,” said Ajay Mitchell, who led the way with 24 points and 10 assists. “We knew we had to adjust and be better.”

That’s the difference. The Thunder adjust. The Lakers react.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still hasn’t even had a monster series by his standards — 23 points, nine assists — and it hasn’t mattered.

“If the rest of my career looked like this… I’d be OK with it,” he said. “Because we won games.”

The Thunder don’t need perfect. They just need pressure, depth, and a few minutes of dominance.

The Lakers, meanwhile, need everything to go right. Even then, it hasn’t been enough.

“They’re an incredible basketball team,” coach JJ Redick said. “Third straight game we’re right there… still lost those minutes.”

Three games. Same pattern. The flashes are real. So is the gap.