The Lakers’ adjustment key to success in Game 2 vs. Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Lakers struck first, but the Thunder struck hard in their Game 1 victory on Tuesday to start a best-of-seven second-round playoff series.

Now, it’s up to the Lakers to respond with better opposition in Thursday’s Game 2 at Paycom Center to avoid falling behind by two games before the series shifts to LA for Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 on Monday.

“Obviously, it’s the playoffs at the end of the day, so even if it’s win or go home, it’s win or go home,” Jaxson Hayes said. “So, I mean, we just have to come in as a desperate team and with more urgency and be locked in and ready to go.”

Here are three changes the Lakers need to make in Game 2:

Attack OKC’s defense better

It goes without saying that the Thunder are using different defensive strategies with Luka Doncic not available to the Lakers.

The Lakers are seeing less/stronger pick-and-roll defense from the Thunder, who used more drop-and-switch coverages in Game 1 compared to Doncic’s regular-season games.

And they should be better at attacking the Thunder’s tactics.

They struggled against the Thunder for much of Game 1 – which has been the Lakers’ weakness all season regardless of who they are against.

And the active stuff — post-ups and inverted pick and rolls — wasn’t used often enough as the game progressed.

The Lakers defense wasn’t perfect compared to the Thunder, but it was good enough to keep the game competitive and possibly winnable.

Better shooting will help.

But the process needs to be much better, too.

“Offensively, we have to be a lot better,” coach JJ Redick said. “That falls on me to make sure we’re organized. Other things fall on the guys. Like, we’ve had too many things without our corners being filled. That just requires you to run down the floor. But, we can definitely be more intentional about what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to put in. A lot of the things we identified before Game 1 were there to emphasize those points.”

Alter Austin Reaves rotation

Austin Reaves was among the Lakers’ key players who struggled with shooting in Game 1.

He shot 3-for-16 from the field, including missing all of his 3-pointers, with just eight points and six assists, five rebounds and four turnovers.

It goes without saying that the Lakers need Reaves to get better to have a shot against the Thunder.

And you will be.

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“We need Austin to be Austin,” Redick said. “The truth is, when you get to this time of year, your body is at its peak from a fitness standpoint, from a fitness standpoint. When you’re out there, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing — the stationary bike, the treadmill, running on the court, whatever — there’s nothing that can simulate playing in an NBA game, let alone playing in an NBA breakout game. To help … put him in position to be successful.”

One way the Lakers could help Reaves, who is just three games out of a month with a left groin injury, is shortening his playing time shifts to help preserve his legs instead of playing long stretches to start the first and third quarters and close the halves.

Reaves has shot 2-for-17 on 3-pointers since returning from the Game 5 loss to the Rockets on April 29.

He is still getting his legs back after being laid off for a long time.

“We’re looking at that,” Redick said of reducing Reaves’ shifts. “We’re looking for ways to help him. Being mistreated, it’s hard. We’re trying our best in exchange.”

Defense details

Some of the defensive details that the Lakers could clean up is that they get stronger when switching after the double play or sending help to NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Knowing who to close hard against and who not is the most important thing to leave open.