Still, many wondered if the Lakers’ litmus test would come from facing the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night. And the Lakers had to play Oklahoma City with their own MVP candidate, Luka Doncic, sitting out for the second straight game because of a left hamstring strain. The Lakers shot 50% from the field, but the Thunder shot 48.3% from the field and 42.4% from three-point range. “You want me to compare us to them?” James responded to a question about the gap between the Lakers and Thunder. “I would say 95% of the time they then make the right play, make the right read, like you said, and put stress on your defense rotations.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 10, 2026 16:40 UTC