They possessed the best scorer in NBA history at the controls of a sizzling offense in a loud arena against a team that had every reason to pack it in.<\/p>\n
They lost by 23.<\/p>\n
To those who witnessed the first three games of these Western Conference semifinals between the Luka Doncic<\/a>-less Lakers<\/a> and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, it is no surprise that the Thunder lead three games to none.<\/p>\n What is shocking is that, with a 131-108 win<\/a> Saturday night at Crypto.com<\/a> Arena, the Thunder steamrolled to victory over the prone body of an NBA legend.<\/p>\n They applied the dagger directly through the heart of LeBron James<\/a>.<\/p>\n As in both earlier games in this series, the Thunder treated a Lakers lead like a pesky gnat, swatting it away with a casual flick as if it never existed.<\/p>\n As if James never existed.<\/p>\n This time it happened in a third quarter during which the Thunder turned a one-point halftime deficit into a13-point lead that was never again challenged.<\/p>\n This time it happened with James, despite being on the court for nearly 11 of the 12 minutes in the quarter, making all of one shot with no rebounds, one turnover and a minus-13 rating.<\/p>\n \u201cThe third quarter, we\u2019ll start with that,\u201d James acknowledged afterward. \u201cWe didn\u2019t have the energy, the effort.\u201d<\/p>\n Indeed, he looked tired. He looked 41. He looked like a guy who, having played in a record 300 playoff games, was having trouble clearing the hurdle of 301.<\/p>\n Lakers forward LeBron James catches his breath during a break in play against the Thunder in Game 3 on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n (Robert Gauthier \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n For the game, he missed 12 of 19 shots, four of six three-point attempts, had zero offensive rebounds and equaled a team-low with a minus-24 in 33 fewer minutes.<\/p>\n Translated: His son Bronny had only six fewer baskets.<\/p>\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t say I\u2019m angry or disappointed,\u201d LeBron said. \u201cI mean, obviously you\u2019re disappointed in the simple fact of, like, being down 3-0 obviously. But I mean, you know, we still got life and that\u2019s all you can ask for.\u201d<\/p>\n Well, one could ask for James to turn back time, but he\u2019s already done that this spring. Remember, he literally saved the Lakers from epic embarrassment with a Game 6 clinching gem<\/a> in the first round against the Houston Rockets.<\/p>\n But without the enormously impactful Doncic, his task has proven too tenuous, his responsibilities too unwieldy, his miracle too unworkable.<\/p>\n This time, time has run out.<\/p>\n This time, LeBron James isn\u2019t getting it done.<\/p>\n Lakers forward LeBron James slaps hands with coach JJ Redick on his way to the bench in a blowout loss to the Thunder in Game 3 on Saturday night.<\/p>\n (Robert Gauthier \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n Not only are the Lakers facing an historical impossibility \u2014 you\u2019ll remember that NBA teams leading three-games-to-none are 161-0 \u2014 but they\u2019re already bearing the weight of an historical humiliation.<\/p>\n The Thunders\u2019 74-49 second-half scoring advantage marks the second-worst second half beatdown of the Lakers since they came to Los Angeles 65 years ago.<\/p>\n This series isn\u2019t even close. From the opening tip last week, it has never been in any serious doubt.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, obviously we gotta [give] everything,\u201d James said. \u201cEverything and more to beat a team like this.\u201d<\/p>\n Ah, but they\u2019ve run out of, \u201cand more\u201d and James knows it.<\/p>\n For the Lakers to have any chance without the league\u2019s leading scorer \u2014 isn\u2019t it constantly maddening seeing the hamstring-strained Doncic sitting on the bench in a fancy sweat suit? \u2014 they needed superhuman efforts from James and second-leading scorer Austin Reaves<\/a>.<\/p>\n Reaves, sigh, has clearly been unable to overcome his oblique injury and playoff demons. He was lousy again Saturday with five baskets and five turnovers and a bunch of guff for the officials.<\/p>\n Lakers guard Austin Reaves, right, throws his hand into the air as he complains about a non-call during Game 3 against the Thunder on Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n (Robert Gauthier \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n This left the major hauling to James, who\u2019s not officially hurt, but here\u2019s guessing his whole body is hurting. He\u2019s not officially exhausted, but here\u2019s guessing his whole body is tired.<\/p>\n He\u2019s not officially a senior citizen, but in NBA terms he\u2019s definitely a senior citizen and during the most important moments of Saturday\u2019s game, he acted like it.<\/p>\n In a third quarter that featured the beginning of a 21-5 Thunder run, in one damning sequence James missed consecutive layups and was passive on a pass from Reaves that became a turnover, which turned into another Oklahoma City basket.<\/p>\n For the game, for the third straight game, the Lakers made bunches of mistakes that became bunches of baskets, this time 17 blunders that became 30 Oklahoma City points.<\/p>\n Midway through the fourth quarter, there appeared perhaps the worst turnover sequence of all, Reaves having a layup blocked by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Alex Caruso racing downcourt for an uncontested dunk while a clearly weary James walked behind him.<\/p>\n Incidentally, the Thunder have been so good that they\u2019ve endured three mediocre games by reigning MVP SGA and are still probably going to sweep this series.<\/p>\n \u201cThe MVP is, you know, 18, 22, seven of 20 tonight, and they\u2019ve kicked our ass three straight games,\u201d said Laker coach JJ Redick<\/a>. \u201cThey\u2019re an incredible basketball team.\u201d<\/p>\n The bench was cleared by Redick with 3:38 remaining, which has to be some sort of record for a losing LeBron James team in the postseason<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778440391_110_.jpeg\")
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