After receiving a heavy dose of reality, the Los Angeles Lakers move on to a road matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans Friday, which also serves as an NBA Cup West Group B contest.
The Lakers were walloped 121-92 by the champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, dropping to 1-2 on a five-game road trip that started when they were on a five-game winning streak.
Luka Doncic was held to a season-low 19 points in the loss, while Austin Reaves also scored a season-low 13. The typically high-scoring duo were a combined 11-for-32 (34.4%) from the floor.
Los Angeles shot a season-low 40.3% from the floor while committing 20 turnovers that the Thunder turned into 26 points. It was the team’s fourth game with at least 20 turnovers this season.
Despite their 8-4 start to the season, the Lakers still have a healthy gap to close to reach the Thunder’s level, who are the class of the league.
“Just to be blunt, they beat the s… out of us,” Reaves said. “And there’s a lot of basketball to be played. We feel as if we can get to that level. (But) we weren’t anywhere close to that.”
Sidelined with sciatica, LeBron James is close to making his season debut. James is practicing with the team’s G League squad while the Lakers are on the road and could finally appear in a game when the team returns home next week.
Until then, Los Angeles will have to finish off the trip at New Orleans and Milwaukee without him.
“Lots to clean up,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. “It’s nothing that we can’t clean up.”
The Pelicans have even more to work on amid a three-game losing streak that’s left them 2-9 on the season.
It looked like a good week to get their feet under them, and they did in a way — even as the Pelicans opened a long stretch of home games with a 125-117 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. Rookie Derik Queen scored 26 points off the bench, Saddiq Bey had 25 and Trey Murphy added 22.
“Just trying to keep getting better (and) contribute to winning,” Queen said.
Queen played a career-high 37 minutes, surpassing 26 minutes in a game that didn’t go into overtime for the first time.
“I feel like I’m a mismatch,” the 6-foot-9 Queen said. “If they put a small on me, just go to the basket. If they put a big on me, just go past him.”
Injuries continue to be an issue for New Orleans, which was without Zion Williamson (hamstring), Dejounte Murray (Achilles) and Jordan Poole (knee).
On Thursday, Williamson was cleared to resume on-court activities in practice with contact but will remain out for the time being. He has missed the past five games. Poole is progressing toward a return to practice, while Murray is likely out until January.
