Lakers dont have much to play for in Thunder series except pride

The Lakers are done. They know it.We know it. They trail their second-round playoff series against the reigning champion Thunder 3-0, a deficit no NBA team has ever recovered from.

So, what’s left to play for in Game 4? For the Lakers, there’s pride on the line.They don’t want to get swept. LeBron James, who’s undecided about his future, doesn’t want his career to potentially end so unceremoniously. Austin Reaves, who has free agency looming this summer after he’s expected to turn down his $14.9 million player option for next season, wants to leave a strong impression as he tries to secure a lucrative contract. Lakers coach JJ Redick has gotten the team to fight all season.

He’s not going to let them drop the rope now. “Still think we can beat them,” Redick said after the Lakers’ 131-108 loss in Game 3. Those words ring empty. It’s a scream at a rock concert.A gasp underwater. The Lakers have no chance of making a historic comeback.

Not against the Thunder, who are younger and deeper and make them look like a puttering old Chevy that ran out of gas in the second half of games, where they’ve been outscored by an average of 18 points.But don’t expect the Lakers to accept a sweep.Not this team.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about them this season it’s that they have a lot of fight.When they’ve hit walls, they’ve bared their teeth. When the Big 3 was an offensive liability, James embraced being the team’s third option, an unprecedented downgrade for a superstar of his caliber who could still lead a team. That sacrifice decluttered their offense, leading the Lakers to go on a 16-2 run this spring.Just as they were considered potential championship contenders, they shockingly lost Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Reaves (oblique) on April 2.After that, they weren’t expected to even make it out of the first round of the playoffs.

Not without their two leading scorers, who averaged a combined 60 points a game. How...