Perkins rips LeBron and the Lakers: “The series with OKC is over”
Just hours before Game 4, former NBA player Kendrick Perkins sharply criticized LeBron James’ Lakers, calling the roster too unathletic and the series all but over
The series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder appears to be heading in one clear direction. In Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals, the Thunder overwhelmed the Lakers with a convincing 131-108 win at Staples Center, once again showing their athletic and defensive superiority.
After the game, former NBA champion and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins did not hold back while discussing the Lakers’ performance, saying OKC exposed every weakness on LeBron James’ team.
Look, the Lakers simply have no chance. They can’t match up with the champions. This series is over. You can see it in LeBron James’ body language too. He might try to carry them, but he’s also trying not to completely burn himself out
Kendrick Perkins
According to Perkins, the Lakers’ biggest issue lies in roster construction, as the team lacks the athleticism to keep up with the Thunder’s pace for a full 48 minutes.
What happened is they got exposed personnel-wise. The Lakers are not athletic enough to keep up with the best teams in the league, especially Austin Reaves. Defensively, he was attacked over and over
Kendrick Perkins
Perkins also pointed to LeBron James’ body language, saying the star looked frustrated and nearly resigned during several stretches of the game. In his view, the feeling is clear: the Lakers have very little chance of getting back into the series against such a complete team.
The situation is made even worse by the continued absence of Luka Doncic, who has now missed 14 straight games. After surviving a difficult first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets, the Lakers are now paying the price against an OKC team that is deeper, more intense, and far more athletic.