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Los Angeles Lakers desperate to bounce back in Game-3 against Oklahoma City Thunder – NBA Preview

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Los Angeles Lakers desperate to bounce back in Game-3 against Oklahoma City Thunder – NBA Preview
Facing a 2-0 deficit is not the kind of start the Los Angeles Lakers would have wanted before they started their Western Conference Semi-Final series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The way the Lakers have lost those two games is even more painful. After getting a 29 point drubbing in Game 1 they would not have wanted to lose another game on the road and in Game 2, LAL did look like a much
improved team. Much of those improvements came on the defensive end as the Lakers held the Thunder to 77 points on a 42 percent shooting night. They were also able to force a high number of 13 turnovers to stay close throughout the game.

The fate of the game was however decided late in the fourth quarter as the Lakers gave up a 7 point lead in the closing stages with the most emphasis being on the two turnovers, 1 a bad pass by Kobe Bryant which
led to a Kevin Durant break away and the other a bad pass from Steve Blake.
They still had a chance to win the game. With just a few seconds remaining on the clock, Mike Brown drew a play that was perhaps made for Bryant. However, with Kobe being out of his range, Metta World Piece made
a quick decision to pass the ball to Steve Blake, who was left unguarded by Russell Westbrook. Blake however missed the trey and the Lakers went down.
What would be better for the Lakers now is to put the two losses behind them as quickly as possible and look to make a comeback in the series with the next two games taking place at their own backyard, the Staples
Center, the first one being on Friday.
LA`s Spanish big man, Pau Gasol has contemplated on a similar approach while speaking to the media after a practice on Thursday.
“That's behind (us), that's behind really," Gasol said. "We have a great team, we have a great desire and even though we're playing a very tough opponent and we're behind in this series, we still believe in our
chances. We got to fight until the end, obviously. (Friday) is an important, crucial game. Crucial game. Both games are crucial. To be able to go back to Oklahoma with the series tied and put the pressure back on them, that's where our chances are."
What the Lakers need to focus on is to continue playing the same level of defence because the key lies with controlling the fast paced offence of the Thunder. Brown has laid absolute emphasis on defence and has
echoed the idea that if his team is unable to play on the same level, they do not deserve to win.
"At this point in the year, if we can't sustain it, we don't deserve to win," said Brown.
One thing that needs to get going for the Lakers is how much impact their new point guard, Ramon Sessions has in the game. He will need to be more aggressive with his play if the Lakers are to have any kind of
chance in this series.
Even though the task at hand appears to be a huge one for the Lakers, however with Bryant in the line up, anything can happen.

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