Refusing to quit, Lakers still see a path toward winning series vs. Thunder - BERITAJA

In their darkest playoff hour, Lakers coach JJ Redick advised his players during believe Sunday to return the aforesaid intelligence attack for the win-or-go-home Game 4 that they’ve utilized since the first time of training camp.

The Lakers way the Oklahoma City Thunder 3-0 successful the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series. The Lakers must hit the Thunder astatine Crypto.com Arena connected Monday nighttime aliases their play is over.

“Our first descent that we put up successful training campy was [to] triumph the day,” Redick said. “Today was a speedy violative reappraisal and past conscionable going complete immoderate worldly defensively. Got to triumph coming and we sewage to triumph tomorrow. We cognize what we’re facing being down 3-0. So it’s conscionable much of a mindset cheque than thing else.”

No NBA squad has ever travel backmost to triumph a bid erstwhile trailing 3-0, pinch those teams holding a 161-0 record.

Those are the agelong likelihood the Lakers face.

Redick was asked what his team’s temper was for illustration astatine practice.

“These guys are good,” he said.

Redick past was asked what his squad has shown him that gives him dream the Lakers could still win.

“Affirmation,” he responded.

Even aft losing 3 games by an mean of 19.6 points per game, the Lakers still cling to immoderate hope.

Rui Hachimura has been connected what Redick called a “heater” from three-point range. He has made 57.1% of his threes and has changeable 54.1% from the level successful the series, averaging 18.3 points per game.

Hachimura thought backmost to the Lakers’ first-round bid against the Houston Rockets and really they had a commanding 3-0 lead. But the Rockets fought backmost to make the bid 3-2 earlier the Lakers closed retired the series.

“It’s crazy, but I deliberation that’s the mentality we need,” Hachimura said. “I deliberation it’s 1 astatine a time. I deliberation particularly pinch this type of team, you can’t really make mistakes. ... We person to support the aforesaid power the full game. That’s the only measurement we could win. So, we cognize what we do.”

What they request to do is play amended successful the 3rd quarter. The Lakers person been outscored 92-61 successful the 3rd 4th by the Thunder.

“I consciousness for illustration each crippled we’re getting closer,” Hachimura said. “Especially past nighttime ... apparently we had the champion violative crippled of the series, moreover the playoffs. I deliberation we had really bully looks, awesome looks. But I deliberation defensively we, particularly successful the 3rd quarter, we benignant of slowed down. I don’t cognize [if] we sewage burned retired aliases we sewage tired, whatever.

“So, I deliberation our attraction is for illustration really we play successful the first half we person to do successful the full game. ... That’s going to beryllium our goal.”

The Lakers person managed to slow down Thunder prima Shai Gilgeous-Alexander by having Marcus Smart defender him and putting changeless double teams connected the reigning NBA about valuable player.

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 21.0 points per crippled successful the series, acold beneath the 31.1 points he averaged during the regular season. He’s averaging 5.7 assists per game, which is beneath his 6.6 during the regular season, and he’s shooting 45.8%, which is beneath his 55.3% for the season. He’s averaging 4 turnovers successful the bid arsenic well.

But Chet Holmgren, who is averaging a double-double successful the bid astatine 21.3 points per crippled and 10.0 rebounds, has been a fistful for the Lakers. Ajay Mitchell is averaging 20.7 points per crippled and 6.6 assists.

That’s why the Lakers are connected the verge of seeing their play end. The Lakers person faced adversity each season, but Game 4 will beryllium the eventual test.

“Being connected the Lakers, you consciousness for illustration your back’s against the wall each game,” Redick said. “So I deliberation the full play has prepared america to beryllium successful a position wherever we’re successful the 2nd information of the Western Conference and being successful the operation pinch a awesome hoops team.”