The Los Angeles Lakers are dealing with a statistical nightmare that no other team has ever faced. The side, unfortunately, created an unwanted new record after their recent playoff performance against the Thunder. 

The Lakers' semifinal run has been nothing short of a nightmare as the side picked up its third consecutive defeat by 131-108 against the Thunder on May 9. In the process, they created a unique record related to losing despite having good starts.

An X update from OptaSTATS specified, "The Lakers are the first team in NBA history to lead at the half in back-to-back playoff games but lose both by a combined 40+ points."

This record highlights a problem for a team trying to keep up with the defending champions. The losses in Games 2 and 3 have exposed a pattern of second-half collapses that management doesn't seem to have an answer for.

The trouble started in Game 2, where the Lakers held a 58-57 lead at the break. The Thunder outscored them by 19 points in the final two quarters to bag a 125-107 victory.

Game 3 followed the same script on May 9. The Lakers entered halftime ahead 59-57 after a strong start from Rui Hachimura.

However, they only managed to score 20 points in the third quarter. Oklahoma City took advantage of 17 Lakers turnovers and won the game 131-108.

While their first halves are competitive, they have been outscored by 44 points across the last two second halves combined. Their offensive rating of 108.1 is lower than the Thunder’s elite 129.0 rating. 

The team now finds itself down 0-3 in the series. No team in NBA history has ever come back from such a deficit. They are missing the playmaking of Luka Doncic, who has been out with a hamstring injury since early April. 

These back-to-back collapses have left the team searching for solutions as they prepare for a must-win game.

JJ Redick and LeBron James Address Lakers’ Ongoing Collapse Issues

Head coach JJ Redick was very honest about the situation during his postgame comments. He admitted that the Thunder have "kicked our a**" for three straight games.

Redick noted that the team plays well for about two and a half quarters before the momentum shifts entirely. 

James also pointed out the specific issues that occur once the third quarter starts. He mentioned that the team stopped knocking down open shots and failed to get the defensive stops needed to stay close.

A major reason for these second-half runs is the depth of the Oklahoma City roster. Mitchell has been a breakout star in this series, putting up a playoff career-high of 24 points and 10 assists.

Even with Jalen Williams unavailable due to injury, the Thunder have younger players like Cason Wallace who are outperforming the Lakers' bench. 

The Lakers will try to avoid a sweep on May 11 when they host the Thunder for Game 4. If they cannot fix their second-half problems, their 2026 playoff run will end in a very disappointing fashion. 

What do you think is the biggest reason for the Lakers' second-half meltdowns?

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Written by

Utsav Sinha

Edited by

Souvik Roy