The next two games on the schedule for the Los Angeles Lakers are their measuring stick matchups. They will play consecutive contests on the road against the top dog in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It cannot be understated just how great the Thunder have been in the 2024-25 NBA season. They have the best record in the entire league at the moment, not just the West. The Thunder just made NBA history by setting the best record against a conference (29-1 versus the East) that the league has ever seen.
They are also challenging the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls for the NBA record of best net rating in league history. The Bulls hold that mark with 13.4. The Thunder are right on their heels with 13.0.
The Thunder have the best defensive rating in the league (106.2), coupled with the third-best offensive rating (119.0). Most consider them the title favorites at this point of the 2024-25 campaign.
For the Lakers, proving themselves against this kind of competition, with the NBA Playoffs so close, will go a long way.
What these two games mean for Los Angeles
With a 13.5-game lead on the Houston Rockets, the Thunder have already locked up the Western Conference by a long shot. There is not much Oklahoma City has left to play for in the regular season. That could mean the Lakers do not properly size up against the best that the Thunder can bring. Still, the Lakers should view these games as a proving ground for what this year's unit can accomplish.
Many will be quick to bring up that Los Angeles is 7-3 against the Thunder in their last 10 meetings. That is an interesting statistic to look at, but it should be highlighted that those were the Anthony Davis days. This version of the Lakers, featuring Luka Doncic, have never matched up against the Thunder.
"[It's] definitely a big challenge," Doncic told Lakers Daily of facing the Thunder. "We all know how they play. They're first in the West for a reason. ... They have a guy playing at an MVP level. ... It's gonna be a big, big challenge for us."
For the Lakers point guard, Doncic not only has experience facing the Thunder in a playoff setting, but beating them too. The former Dallas Mavericks superstar played a leading role in sending the Thunder packing from last year's NBA Playoffs.
"It was a very physical series," Doncic told the media. "We were all tired after that series, but it was fun."
Luka posted averages of 24.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 8.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, with shooting splits of 45-39-74, in the six-game series that featured the Mavericks winning. The All-NBA caliber superstar was slowed down by Luguentz Dort and the elite perimeter defenders of the Thunder a touch, but not enough to swing the series the other way.
It is notable that this year's defensive unit for Oklahoma City presents a bigger challenge than last. The Thunder ranked fourth in defensive rating (111.0) in the 2023-24 regular season. Although, they did bump up to second in the postseason, with a mark of 104.5.
In a recent discussion on the season debut of the Mind the Game podcast, LeBron James discussed how most teams in the NBA do not have the personnel to challenge himself, Doncic, and Austin Reaves as the offensive trio that leads Los Angeles. The Thunder are the exception to that.
Oklahoma City is stocked with elite defenders everywhere that one looks. For the Lakers, this will be as good of a test as the offense can get.
"It's still a work in progress.," Doncic said of the team chemistry. "We haven't had many practices together, but I think we're getting more comfortable."
Those comfort levels will be challenged against the Thunder in these next two games. If the Lakers can somehow leave Oklahoma City with two wins in their pocket, that should work towards motivating this group and their fans about the championship ceiling of this team.
