Do the Los Angeles Lakers Pose Threat to OKC Thunder?

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers have been a huge talking points after the NBA Trade Deadline. The Lakers have added Luka Doncic, the Thunder have teh best mark in the NBA and got Chet Holmgren back. Are the Purple and Gold a threat?

Mar 4, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) moves the ball ahead of Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are the talk of the NBA since the Trade Deadline past, seeing the Purple and Gold land Luka Doncic to pair him with NBA icon LeBron James in the league's biggest market and most discussed franchise.

While the Oklahoma City Thunder stood pat at the deadline, they did add seven-foot Rising Star Chet Holmgren back to the fold after he fractured his hip on Nov. 10 against the Golden State Warriors.

On paper, the Thunder are the clear-cut favorites in the Western Conference with a 44-10 record and the best net rating of all time as things sit at the NBA All-Star break. How much of a threat are the Lakers to the OKC Thunder?

While Dorian Finney-Smith and Jared Vanderbilt are quality point-of-attack defenders against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, what make the Lakers a matchup problem for the Thunder a year ago was the rim protection from Anthony Davis to force Oklahoma City to settle for jump shots. With Jaxson Hayes roaming the paint? Not so much.

For the Purple and Gold to win a series it would have to be on the back of Doncic and James turning the series into an offensive track meet.

However, the Thunder have a historic defense. When you adjust for eras, metrics make the claim that OKC is the best defensive unit of all time. Not only that, Lu Dort represents the best Doncic defender in the NBA - take it from the superstar himself.

Ultimately, if anyone is going to slow the Lakers new-look offense it is going to be the Thunder. On the flip side, the Lakers have plenty of mismatches to pick on with Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht on the floor.

While the Lakers will take a couple games off the series, in a race to four wins, Oklahoma City still has the advantage.

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