Malik Monk manages to escape amid Carmelo Anthony getting all the hate for air balling a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the game against the Thunder.
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The odds were highly in favor of the Lakers going into tonight’s game against OKC. Russell Westbrook had a grand welcome at the Thunder arena, having played eleven seasons for the franchise. Lakers big man Anthony Davis was coming off a great game against the Spurs.
As predicted, the Lakers would dominate in the first half of the game, leading by 26-points at one point. However, things seemed to be shifting post the first half of the game. OKC guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would lead the Thunder to victory, overcoming a 26-points deficit.
The Lakers had two occasions to tie the game but would airball them. The scoreboard read 115-118, with OKC leading. With 15 seconds remaining, Malik Monk and Carmelo Anthony had one chance respectively to tie the game, but failed to do so.
It was an embarrassing loss for the Lakers considering the talent on the team, whereas the Thunder were a young team with relatively no big names.
The LA Lakers blew a 26-points lead.
Though the LA team played without LeBron James, they had enough star-power on their roster. AD had a great game dropping 30-points on 54.5% shooting from the field. Though Russell Westbrook had a triple-double, he recorded ten turnovers during the game. The former MVP was ejected from the game as well.
The Lakers had Malik Monk fill in the big shoes of King James. Though the former Hornets player had some highlight plays during the game, he would airball a 3-pointer in the final seconds that could have tied the game.
The above clip has Monk shooting an airball with 12 seconds remaining that could have tied the game.
The Lakers would get another life, with Melo intercepting an OKC inbound pass. Unfortunately, the former scoring champion would follow suit and airball another clutch 3-pointer that would have tied the game for the Lakers.
Melo air-balled a three that would have tied the game. pic.twitter.com/Avq4CzOwNP
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 28, 2021
Overall it was a tough night for the Lakers, who had enough chances to win the game but airballed them. Hopefully, James returns soon and takes matters into his own hands since he’s known to be one of the best basketball minds the league has ever seen.