I don’t want to see Luka in uniform until 2/20. Wish LeBron would do the same. Reaves too. Get all these dudes as much rest as possible and hit the playoffs healthier than we were last year. JayJay should’ve already learned that lesson. What good is the 3rd Seed if guys are hobbled?

As funny as that quote may sound it is the ultimate truth.

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

A good test against the champs, details and margins still missing

With the All-Star break probably already on most NBA players’ minds, the Lakers still had work to do before anyone could start thinking about Cabo.

Three games remain before the break, including measuring-stick tests against the two top teams in the conference. The first of those came against the reigning NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams were missing their top stars and two MVP candidates, with Luka Dončić sitting out his second consecutive game due to a hamstring injury.

The Lakers came up short, losing 119–110. Depending on how optimistic or pessimistic you are, this game can be viewed in two very different ways. On one hand, the Lakers showed enough fight and enough progress compared to past matchups against elite teams to make it a genuinely competitive night. On the other, LeBron James’ post-game assessment cut through it: the Lakers are not a championship-level team, and there is still a significant gap.

Lakers Nation
@LakersNation
LeBron James when asked to compare the Lakers to the Thunder:

“You want me to compare us to them? That’s a championship team right there. We’re not. We can’t sustain energy and effort for 48 minutes and they can. That’s why they won a championship.”
11:47 PM · Feb 9, 2026 · 7.7K Views
15 Replies · 6 Reposts · 97 Likes

James’ teammates won’t have to wait long for another chance to prove him wrong. That chance comes tonight against the second-best team in the conference, the San Antonio Spurs, on the second night of a back-to-back.

digginbasketball is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Today’s notes:

Good fight, but an opportunity missed

Lakers battled, OKC hustled harder

Hard to beat OKC when they outshoot you from three

A heavy dose of Marcus Smart

Another Austin Reaves test against a physical team (VIDEO)

1-Good fight, but an opportunity missed

While I agree with James’ assessment that sustaining a 48-minute effort has been a key problem this season, I side with JJ Redick’s post-game diagnosis for this one. The effort itself wasn’t the issue. The level was there, but the focus slipped during a few key stretches that ultimately decided the game.

Lakers Nation
@LakersNation
JJ Redick:

“When you play the best teams, you have to have a really high level of effort and a really high level of execution. You have to have both. I thought our effort was great, but [our execution] was not.”

He felt they needed to do a better job getting LeBron the ball in
9:54 PM · Feb 9, 2026 · 21.7K Views
38 Replies · 19 Reposts · 322 Likes

Failing to switch properly against the sharpshooter Isiah Joe led to open threes, followed by overcommitting and surrendering two open layups on cuts in the first half. Later, Jaxson Hayes and Deandre Ayton overhelped on drives, leaving Jaylin Williams wide open for three threes in the second.

Jovan Buha
@jovanbuha

JJ Redick said he felt the Lakers botched their defensive shell principles too frequently tonight, including over-helping a lot on drives. He noted that Jaylin Williams’ three 3s were all off over-help.

Offensively, he felt they went away from LeBron too much in the fourth.
9:56 PM · Feb 9, 2026 · 25.1K Views
33 Replies · 24 Reposts · 412 Likes

On the offensive end, the Lakers, who have had so much success in the clutch this season, failed to execute in the fourth quarter. Open threes were missed, and undisciplined decision-making pulled them away from the formula that worked in the third quarter, with James controlling the game from the block.

2-Lakers battled, OKC hustled harder

As expected, OKC brought the thunder early, playing its trademark grab-and-hold, swipe-heavy perimeter defense. The Lakers committed 10 first-half turnovers. Some were forced, but too many were unforced, and those, as JJ Redick noted post-game, stung the most in a game with very little margin for error.

However, the Lakers came out of halftime with a strong response, turning up the force and being more aggressive on perimeter switches while contesting most of the Thunder’s drives. They became the aggressors in the third quarter through forced turnovers on defense and James playing bully ball against smaller defenders on the other end.

The Lakers even managed to match the Thunder’s turnover rate, but the problem in this game was the second chances. In my 50-game check, I wrote that the Lakers have been a very good defensive rebounding team lately. In this game, however, they could not match OKC’s activity on the glass. Some of those second-chance opportunities came from the Lakers’ bigs helping on drives, while others were the result of missed boxouts or a failure to match OKC’s hustle on long rebounds and loose balls.

Source: Cleaning the Glass

The Thunder’s nearly 39 percent offensive rebound rate led to three extra field goal attempts and six additional free throw attempts, a decisive edge in an otherwise evenly matched game.

3-Hard to beat OKC when they outshoot you from three

Poor three-point shooting has been a persistent problem for the Lakers throughout the season. In this game, even Luke Kennard, who made one of his two three-point attempts while being tightly guarded on the perimeter, did not make a meaningful difference.

The Lakers shot 10 of 31 from three, just 32 percent, despite getting a solid 4-of-7 night from Marcus Smart. Jake LaRavia missed three open looks in the fourth quarter, while the two primary pull-up threats, James and Austin Reaves, combined to go 1 of 9.

Source: Cleaning the Glass

On the other end, the Thunder shot 14 of 33 from three, good for 42 percent. Given how strong they are on every margin, it is very hard, and often impossible, to beat them on nights when they also win the three-point shooting battle.

4-A heavy dose of Marcus Smart

Smart had one of his better scoring nights with 19 points, while still making his usual impact on the defensive end with timely plays.

The challenge with Smart is always finding the balance between his irrational confidence, the “no, no, yes!” plays that never scare him away from taking a big shot, and the moments when that same confidence turns into hero drives into traffic and, often, trouble.

Last night offered a bit of both. Smart knocked down two big threes in the fourth quarter, but he also called his own number too often and contributed to drifting away from the working plan of playing more systematically through LeBron James on the block, something JJ Redick pointed to as costly down the stretch.

Smart finished with 16 shot attempts, just one fewer than LeBron James’ 17 and two more than Austin Reaves, all in the same amount of playing time. Smart posted a 26 percent usage rate that jumped to 30 percent in the fourth quarter. All in all, it was a bit too much Smart at the end.

5-Another Austin Reaves test against a physical team (VIDEO)

Reaves has made another big leap this year, the kind that is usually the hardest one: the jump from a very good player to true All-NBA territory.

Source: NBA

However, because of some of his past struggles, fair or not, his performances against aggressive, athletic teams will remain under the magnifying glass, likely until he makes a statement in the playoffs.

Like the game itself, Reaves’ showing last night can be argued either for or against him. He had a great first half, scoring 12 points and handing out six assists, showing the downhill speed and rim pressure we saw recently against the 76ers. He consistently got to the paint, surprisingly so against the best perimeter defense in the NBA. Reaves made several strong reads, finding his big men three times on rolls or lobs and creating clean advantages, leaving the early impression that OKC missed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander more than the Lakers missed Dončić.

However, Reaves followed up that strong first half with a disappointing showing after the break, scoring just two points with one assist on 1-of-7 shooting. He finished the game with five turnovers against OKC’s high-pressure, point-of-attack defense. Reaves was stripped clean twice, but he was also clearly fouled on two other plays, which contributed to his frustration and a noticeable loss of rhythm.

Ryan Ward
@RyanWardLA

Austin Reaves on what frustrated him tonight vs. OKC: “I think I just got frustrated when I didn’t get the foul call, got the tech, let that kind of get to me a little bit. But yeah, it was just; I thought it was obvious. I told Eric [Dalen], he was the closest ref. If it was
11:38 PM · Feb 9, 2026 · 26.5K Views
4 Replies · 19 Reposts · 475 Likes

After the win against the Warriors, I mentioned that Reaves and Dončić are similar ballhandlers who attack defenses in different ways. Last night, Reaves’ speed was effective early, but OKC adjusted. As the game went on, James’ bully ball on the block against smaller Thunder guards proved to be the better alternative. That may be the key takeaway for the Lakers.

Against the best teams, identifying best pressure points and adapting more quickly and with greater precision, is essential, especially once Dončić, another strong post-up option, returns.

That stretch late in the 3rd when LeBron subbed out and the Lakers had all the momentum…is where the Lakers let this one get away.Thunder closed the quarter and took a 1-PT lead.Lakers never were able to create that separation again.— Witness King James (@WITNESSKJ) February 10, 2026

Game Reaction | Lakers 110 – Thunder 119 | 32-20- The officiating was ABSURDLY terrible tonight and I hate how they enable this “physical” OKC defense- AR had a terrible second half (the refs really got to him tonight)- Despite the refs, plenty of missed opportunities down… pic.twitter.com/Zdqsh6d7Hf— AO (@worldofao) February 10, 2026

🚨MAÇ SONUCU🚨Oklahoma City Thunder 119-110 Los Angeles Lakers👑LeBron: 22 PTS | 10 AST | 6 REB💩Reaves: 16 PTS | 7 AST | 5 TO👍Smart: 19 PTS | 4/7 3P💩Jake: 14 PTS | 4 REB👍Rui: 12 PTS | 5 REB💩Ayton: 6 PTS | 10 REB pic.twitter.com/u6BOsQMQwR— Los Angeles Lakers TR (@Lakers__TR) February 10, 2026

Thunder beat Lakers 119-110 OKC improves to 40-13, leads season series 2-0. LeBron had 22 pts & 10 ast, but Thunder’s depth won it without SGA.@KingJames #ThunderUp #Lakers pic.twitter.com/g0lh4VCnCK— NBA InsightPro (@SportsTectician) February 10, 2026

“Top 5 defensive rating leaders in the NBA:1. Jaylin Williams2. Ajay Mitchell3. Chet Holmgren4. Cason Wallace5. Isaiah Hartenstein”Look at how they’re getting away with all these fouls. 💀 pic.twitter.com/YwDBNg1L46— Ryan Rueda (@PlayoffDude) February 10, 2026

3 point swing. Instead of free throws by AR, OKC gets a FT on a tech vs AR(for rightfully being pissed off).These type of plays decide close games. https://t.co/HKfl6lGyEP— Letting Go (@ProvideContext) February 10, 2026

Gonna lose this game but love what I’m seeing from this Lakers team. Starting to ramp up their intensity and attention to detail. Everyone rowing in the same direction. #Lakers— Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT (@3cbPerformance) February 10, 2026

Gonna lose this game but love what I’m seeing from this Lakers team. Starting to ramp up their intensity and attention to detail. Everyone rowing in the same direction. #Lakers— Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT (@3cbPerformance) February 10, 2026

Jake LaRavia on what went wrong for the Lakers in the fourth quarter:"I didn't make shots down the stretch… That was a big factor in that game."— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) February 10, 2026

Rob Pelinka’s job is expected to be in danger if the Lakers don’t make a run, per @HeavyOnSports “Unless they catch fire in the second half of the year, unless they really come on and make a run in the playoffs, it’s got to be on life support"(h/t @AhnFireDigital) pic.twitter.com/2wowz2w5kL— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) February 9, 2026

Rob Pelinka made it clear that he and Jeanie Buss will continue running the #Lakers with Mark Walter's support.https://t.co/pg80b4fK65— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) February 9, 2026

What will Lakers Front Office look like in the future? pic.twitter.com/wfev39rTHT— Allen Sliwa (@AllenSliwa) February 9, 2026

Calling it: he steps down/retires before being fired. If things don't break their way, it'll be – "after winning a championship in 2020, securing luka doncic, and positioning the new lakers executives with max cap space and multiple assets, Rob pelinka is stepping down" blah blah https://t.co/7HUdnsDSiF— Ryan Lucas (@RyanLucas_LA) February 9, 2026

The Los Angeles Lakers have a blueprint for success thanks to Mark Walter and Andrew Friedman… https://t.co/KOyXNkZDYR https://t.co/KhQfcZa53D— LA Sports Report (@LA_SportsReport) February 10, 2026

If Seattle & Vegas expansion teams get approved, will these be the new divisions? pic.twitter.com/fBzGq0iUc6— Drew Hanlen (@DrewHanlen) February 9, 2026

Excellent post, Michael!.

Great takes, Michael.

You’re right, injuries are going to be a big factor in where everybody in the West finishes.

Personally, I love the two moves the Lakers made and believe 3-point shooting was the big motive behind the moves. I love Kennard’s decision making and think we will see a lot of lineups with Rui and Luke as our laser shooters.

I also disagree with Irwin and the critics who think playing Rui and Luke with the Big Three could be how to turn Luka, LeBron, and Austin into the offensive juggernaut we hoped they could be. The answer could be two wide-open lethal 3-point shooters.

I also love the two-way potential of Bufkin. 43.1% on 7.8 3PA per game plus 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks. I not only think Kobe will get minutes, I think he has a chance to make the rotation. At worst, he is a great development guy. Smart move to sign him before we lost him. Spacing, spacing, spacing.

I love that JJ may have found some defensive help with the zone with Vando at the top and Maxi in the hole. If we can continue to develop this defense and plug holes opponents develop, it could really help us statistically. Our defense as a team in the last 3 games was 106.6, #1 in the NBA.

Now let’s get 3 more wins before the break.

I just don’t understand all this maneuvering. I am confused.

kobe bufkin addition literally sent our end of the bench dudes down to the g league (adou bronny dalton) i seriously think he may get some spot minutes (not fully in the rotation) especially with luka out kobe replaces gabe imo luke kennard replaces dalton https://t.co/cxZLUZNVjZ— Coach Rome (@Rome_Beast) February 9, 2026

That lineup gets murdered on the glass. We’ll need to shoot lights out to tread water. I think a better lineup is the Smart/Reaves/Vando/Kleber and another ball handler (Luka, LBJ, maybe Kennard). You can swap Rui for Vando if you feel more scoring is needed.

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

It’s February, and the OKC Thunder are struggling to find enough healthy bodies to put on the court. Fortunately for them, they can afford a bit of a rut, as they still sit firmly atop the Western Conference at 40-13.

Oddly enough, the absence of star players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Ajay Mitchell has been a bit of a blessing in disguise for the club, as the Thunder have been able to gather a lot of intel about what the rest of their roster looks like when given extended minutes.

As players continue to separate themselves from the pack, veteran guard Lu Dort seems to be playing his way out of crucial minutes.

Thunder likely far from impressed with what Lu Dort has shown recently

The notorious defensive stalwart has been the undisputed starter at the two guard position out in Oklahoma City, starting in all 41 games he has played in 2025-26. Sadly, his play has left much to be desired.

In February, Dort is averaging just 8.7 points per game, while shooting 39.1 percent from the field and averaging just 0.7 steals. His three-point shooting clip of 35.3 percent ranks eighth on the team, and he has the third-worst defensive rating among Thunder players averaging over 15 minutes per game.

While a playoff berth is in no jeopardy whatsoever, Dort’s play has fans questioning whether putting him on the floor for 30 minutes a night is the right move for this team, especially when younger, better options are waiting in the wings.

Thunder have an unexpected embarrassment of riches on the wings

It took just one week for the Thunder to boast one of the deepest backcourts in the league.

While the world awaits the return of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace has inserted himself into the starting role conversation.

Even though he has started the majority of games this year, Wallace is thought to be a role player off the bench when OKC is fully healthy.

Lately, he has been looking to change that rep.

Through four games played in February, Cason is averaging 17.0 points per game on 50.9 percent shooting and 40.9 percent from three, all while averaging an impressive 3.3 steals per game.

The third-year man has shown flashes of brilliance recently, as he has recorded two 20-plus point games over his last four.

Lu Dort has no such games this season.

With the recently acquired Jared McCain, OKC has yet another perimeter threat. Once the sophomore gets fully worked into the rotation, Daigneault will have another talented wing to throw into the mix of minute management.

With Ajay Mitchell looking like one of the league’s top perimeter defenders in the league, Daigneault will be faced with some tough decisions soon.

Dort’s game may prove too stale to rely on once all is said and done, especially if OKC’s younger options continue to progress.

Curious. It’s certainly an option but hard to imagine OKC letting talent walk for nothing. I suspect a sign and trade is in Dort’s future…