That it's worth stepping back, unfortunately, doesn't mean that the circumstances have necessarily changed. Although L.A. did an effective job of defending their home court with a fourth-quarter free-throw march, it's relatively clear that the Thunder still hold the upper hand.
OKC's offense is still more difficult to halt, their defense is still more disruptive and their rare combination of top-heavy talent and role-player depth would give them the upper hand against almost any opponent. None of that has changed, even with Los Angeles taking a favorable result in Game 3.
The Lakers are a good team, but ultimately lack that fundamental factor that would put them over the top in a series such as this one; were Bryant half a decade younger and the bench a bit deeper, we'd be looking at a more compelling contest.
But as it stands, the Lakers are a mere obstacle in the Thunder's path, and though the games thus far have each been entertaining in their own ways, we need not pretend that this 2-1 series is so drastically different than it would have been at 3-0.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
