Daily Thunder.com Thunder at Lakers: Game 3 Pregame Primer

vs.

Los Angeles Lakers (4-5, 3-1 home) vs. OKC Thunder (6-0, 2-0 road)

TV: ESPN (Cox 29, HD 720)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 9:30 CT

Thunder lead series 2-0

View from the enemy: Forum Blue and Gold

There’s a whole lot at stake tonight. Win, and the series is essentially sealed in the Thunder’s favor. Lose, and the door is open again for the Lakers. The Thunder have played one splendid game and one bad one. I’m not sure if they play an in-between one if that’ll be good enough. The Lakers are desperate, wounded dog that’s looking to bite. And the Thunder better be ready for it.

Game 2 was certainly a deflating loss for the Lakers, but it at least proved that they can hang with Oklahoma City. If they execute a proper game plan, keep the pace in their favor and pray that Russell Westbrook doesn’t dominate, they can stay close. It’s not a bad gameplan, really. One that can succeed.

The Thunder just have to execute the plan. Play their game, let their superior talent and ability do the work and they can go up 3-0 and grab this series by the throat. For all intents and purposes, this is Game 4 and the Thunder are on the verge of closing. Because a win tonight and the Lakers find themselves back against the wall on the second night of a back-to-back against a team they know they can’t beat.

But a Game 3 win and things even out a bit. A Game 3 win for the Lakers and the door cracks, if only a little.

Tip at 9:30 CT. Go Thunder.

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well this game was ours nad we blew it. big breakdowns in the offense to close this game. IMO the two missed westbrook three pointers set the tone for the rest of the game. poor decision making offensively after that.

crying about the refs is what laker and boston fans do. this game was winnable and it was lost b/c the team couldn't execute to close it.

thunder fan in korea

@justin_mia there were bad calls, but yes, okc had it and let it slip away

C-Wil

@justin_mia yeah it's our game when the Lakers shoot 42 fucking free throws huh?

[censored]

@C_Dub it happens. it was winnable. let's not pretend like we don't have big FTA advantages, we lead the league in FT/FGA

OBoy

@justin_mia game was winnable for sure but 10 fgs in the entire second half is absurd

Aren't

@justin_mia Damn, you hate Westbrook.

Lost Ones

1 Like

@justin_mia russ is always your cop out i swear.

[censored]

@Lost Ones he makes poor decisions. although the one three pointer where it was passed to him wasn't his fault

2288 comments

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Jooseppi

I love Durant wanting to pass but he's wasting some drives. The pass to Ibaka late was good in theory but Ibaka wasn't in his spot. Our bigs bumbled a few inside. If he's at the line with a path to the basket a pass isn't worth it when you're in the bonus.

EatSleepThunder

I keep watching that russ-world peace mix up, and i still have no idea how russ got a tech, and world peace didnt get called for a foul

Jeremy2

@EatSleepThunder i think russ instigated the mix up more than peace did. in a scramble like that, it is instinct to try to get the ball. russ hit the back of peace's knee and like a funny bone or some bodily mechanism, he lowered his knee down. shouldn't have been a technical on peace.

Old Man Game

The refs didn't cost us the game but it sure as hell didn't make it any easier. They made it essentially impossible to guard Kobe.

Eggs Benedict

Refs are the worst thing about the NBA. Why doesn't anyone realize the Cardinal O'Hara high school connection a few of them (Joey Crawford included) have with Donaghy?? They're all old friends, and they're all crooked.

T-Fred

the foul on KD at eh end that should be a guys

if you think the refs were bad tonight, get ready for tomorrow

SeanzieCrews

That was an uglier game than any of the Eastern playoff games. Just ugly to watch. Less refs more basketball please.

our guys have to get it in their heads that they cant pass to perk with him hobbled....i think they know but its instinct to dump it off to him

shiki

I dont want to blame Refs,but I hope Brooks stop playing fish to drive and guard Kobe.He is only a shooter

Crow

a few too many jumpshots

Legendary_Dork

@Crow blind eyes man. every time. EEEEEEEEVERY time we got momentum the refs fucked us

As Promised

The Thunder weren't getting any calls in the end. The Perk one on offense? He just yelled to Ibaka. Then Kobe complains about something at a ref and nothing. What a joke

ChilamBilam12

Laker's gave us everything they could possible dig up tonight and had the refs in their pocket.. still took the game by only 3 on a miracle in the 4th.. we got this tomorrow night, no doubt in my mind

Game 4 is in less then 24 hours Lakers will be tired

Thunder247

This is as close to a "fixed" game I have ever seen.

@Thunder247 really? did you miss the LAL-SAC series' in the 00's? This wouldn't even rate in my top 20

Dan Yuschick

If you ask me, the Thunder are still up 2-0. The refs won this game tonight.

pretty much all of bynums points were at the line. perk did good on him.

ILikePancakes

motherfucking homecooking, but it was obvious that Stern wouldn't let his darling Lakers lose

MissYouCole

11 made baskets, 49 points. Maybe not a fix but still horrid officiating

Lakers with 10 made baskets in the 2d half but still 49 points with the foul line.

Sorry 11.

persiansooner

@Old Man Game wowwww

long arm of the law

We're going to win by 20 tomorrow

lets see em do it again in 21 hours. bitches

Lose by three and they shoot 42 freaken free throws of which 25 were deserved. Nice.

Ok. We tired out the lakers. We will come out tomorrow and they will be dead tired

blueRAP

The refs were truly horrific tonight. There's no reason for a team to shoot over 40 fts in a playoff game

Reffing terrible? Absolutely, both ways and some big soft calls late. Winnable game regardless. Harden jumper kind of signaled it. Should have won.

OUThunderfan

We will bounce back tomo. Lakers will be more worn down than us, won't have this reffing crew, and we will start the game better.

straight up bullshit game.. you can't beat the Lakers and the officials in the same contest at Staples Center.. i can't believe nothing has been said about the officiating all night.. 15 extra FT attempts, just straight hosed in the end.. still not worried in the least, we are going to come out and straight own tomorrow night

endercpl

I dont like to bitch about refs, because it usually goes both ways, but when touching kobe bryant becomes a foul the refs need to be fucking fired

KellOne

Good job LA, you're .500 for the playoffs

@KellOne lakers 16 championships, okc thunder - zero

this was a joke of a game. say all you want about "whining" this is a fucking close game that we fought hard enough and well enough to win. You cannot say that we didn't get screwed and that we didn't get the game stolen from us

@cemitten it wasn't 'stolen' from you

@justin_mia @cemitten dude yes it fucking was. the reffing was CLEARLY in L.A's favor. i can name 10 . 10! fucking fouls that NOTHING happen on but they gave them the call anyways

@Legendary_dork @cemitten it happens when you are on the road. you play through it and play smart. we were in the game, winning the game, but stopped playing smart. you win on the road by keeping your head and executing through tough stretches. they didn't

EVDebs

Perfect storm and they win by three. We'll get 'em tomorrow night.

refs played a large part in the lakers' win, but too many bad possessions to end the game

So where was thabo?

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May 26, 2012 at 7:43 am

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Thunder at Lakers: Game 3 Pregame Primer

Los Angeles Lakers (4-5, 3-1 home) vs. OKC Thunder (6-0, 2-0 road)

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