Here is what you need to know before the Lakers start the last leg of the season against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
1)
It has been a franchise-shifting week for the Lakers, who announced on Monday that Magic Johnson has taken over as President of Basketball Operations.
The Hall of Famer was put into place by Co-Owner and Governor Jeanie Buss, who maintained that bringing Johnson aboard was about the team’s future more than its past, saying, “This isn’t about going to the past and recreating Showtime, because you can’t recreate Showtime. “That was a unique period in Lakers basketball. This is about the future and finding the right team for the style that Luke Walton wants to play.”
2)
Johnson got to work in a hurry, making two exchanges with Houston before the NBA’s trade deadline. This week, the Lakers acquired veteran wing Corey Brewer and 22-year-old point guard Tyler Ennis from the Rockets, as well as their first-round pick in the upcoming draft. In exchange, the Lakers parted with Lou Williams and Marcelo Huertas.
3)
This is the first game of the post-All-Star slate, as three Lakers were busy representing in New Orleans. Nick Young finished fourth at the Three-Point Contest, coming just one point shy of potentially making the finals. Meanwhile, D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram played at the Rising Stars Challenge, where Russell provided the weekend’s highlight by putting on a dribbling show before splashing a step-back jumper over Oklahoma City’s Domantas Sabonis.
4)
Like the Lakers, OKC had its own trio at All-Star Weekend. Sabonis and Alex Abrines participated in the World Team’s win over Russell, Ingram and the USA Team at the Rising Stars Challenge. Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook went off for 41 points and seven assists in the western Conference’s All-Star Game victory, though he did not capture his third straight MVP award.
5)
The Thunder were also busy at the trade deadline, landing a couple of players from Chicago in Doug McDermott and Taj Gibson. Oklahoma City also received a 2018 second-round pick and had to exchange Cameron Payne, Anthony Morrow and Joffrey Lauvergne.
6)
While Gibson brings eight years of experience and some strong rebounding to the Thunder, McDermott could help fill one of his new team’s biggest holes. OKC currently shoots the NBA’s second-worst 3-point percentage (32.1) and had zero players among the league’s top 80 in individual percentage before adding McDermott, who ranked sixth in the NBA last season. However, he hasn’t been as much of a sharpshooter this year, currently ranking 64th (37.3 percent).
7)
Last time these teams met up, Young left the floor as a hero. With 5.0 seconds left in Los Angeles, Young swooped in and nabbed a pass intended for Williams, then rose up and splashed the game-winning 3-pointer, ending the Lakers’ nine-game losing streak to OKC.
8)
L.A., however, still has another slide to snap against the Thunder. The purple and gold haven’t won in Oklahoma City since Feb. 27, 2011 — back when head coach Luke Walton was playing for the Lakers. Since then, they have lost nine straight on the road to the Thunder.
9)
Much of the reason for this stems from Westbrook, who is on a near-unprecedented tear this season. The UCLA product not only leads the NBA in scoring (31.1 ppg), but — with 10.5 rebounds and 10.1 assists per contest — is also on pace to join Oscar Robertson as the only players in league history to average a triple-double.
10)
Considering his impact across the board, Westbrook’s scoring average is all the more impressive. In fact, he is on pace to put up the most points per night by a guard since Kobe Bryant provided 31.6 for the Lakers 10 years ago.
Injury Report
Lakers: D’Angelo Russell (sore left knee), Jordan Clarkson (right thumb sprain) and Larry Nance Jr. (right thumb sprain) are probablef.
Thunder: Enes Kanter (fractured right ulna) is out.
Tip-Off: 5 p.m. PT
TV: Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes
Radio: 710 ESPN and 1330 KWKW