8. Jan 11th, 2020, Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder – No AD, No LeBron, No Problem
Going into the season, people were expecting the Oklahoma City Thunder to be one of the worst teams in the league after trading away their two-star players in the offseason. But by January most people paying attention around the NBA had recognized them as a legitimate playoff contender.
When the Lakers faced them on January 11th, their record was a respectable 22 wins and 17 losses. They had also won seven of their last eight games.
Surprisingly, the Lakers were actually considered the underdog in this game because both AD and LeBron were sidelined due to injuries. That lack of star power is the biggest reason why this game makes the list, the rest of the Lakers roster showed their depth and proved they can step up when they are needed.
The two stand outs from this game were Kyle Kuzma and yes Rajon Rondo, two players that have struggled for most of the season. Kuzma put up a season-high 36 points while shooting 63 percent from the field, and Rondo put in 21 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists in a vintage performance, against his bitter rival Chris Paul.
If the Lakers make it past the first round in a traditional playoff format, or in a one through 16 seeded both conference format, they will likely see the Thunder in round two. This game clearly showed the Lakers second unit can succeed against OKC, even with LeBron and AD off the floor.