LeBron James didn't sugarcoat anything after the Lakers' 119-110 loss to the Thunder, giving a blunt assessment of where both teams currently stand.
The Thunder were without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Lakers were without Luka Doncic, and ultimately, Oklahoma City's energy and execution proved decisive, especially late in games.
The Thunder dominated the buzzing zone, winning the rebounding battle 45-37, including 14-9 on the offensive glass, while also forcing turnovers and creating a six-point advantage on turnovers.
James, who led Los Angeles with 22 points, admitted the final moments exposed the biggest difference between the two teams.
“[They] Shoot,” James said. “For the most part, we got some really good plays in the fourth quarter and just couldn't finish. They were able to make some shots, get some 50-50 balls, get some extra possessions. Yeah, sometimes it's just a matter of make or break, they outscored us in the fourth quarter. “
The Thunder's defensive pressure continued to disrupt the Lakers' rhythm, which James attributed to Oklahoma City's perimeter depth and activity.
“You want me to compare us to them? That's a championship team. We're not,” James told reporters. “We couldn't sustain the energy and effort for 48 minutes, but they could. That's why they won the championship.”
James highlighted several key defensive players who determine the pace of the game.
“Statistically, they're No. 1 defensively, I would say, behind a couple of other teams,” James said. “But yeah, they apply a lot of pressure and they have a lot of guys that can stretch the defense, like Carson [Wallace] Apparently it's alternating current [Alex Caruso], [Luguentz] Dot and J-Dub [Jalen Williams] A lot of them can really get the ball and push your offense out of the end zone.
“I thought we did a good job of executing like we wanted to, and we still, like I said, we still had some great looks, we had a lot of really, really good looks from beyond the arc, but didn't make them and some around the rim.”
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