From the get-go, the Oklahoma City Thunder have asserted their dominance over the Western Conference, and really the NBA as a whole. They’ve been one of a few s

“The Los Angeles Lakers are already terrifying the NBA as the No. 2 seed in the West, with LeBron James and Luka Doncic forming a duo that’s torching defenses nightly,” Fadeaway World’s Eddie Bitar wrote Saturday.

Last year, Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks sent the Thunder home in the second round of the playoffs, although the Mavericks used a well-rounded defensive approach to slow down the Thunder, which is something the Lakers might not have, especially after getting rid of Anthony Davis .

After Los Angeles acquired Luka Doncic, some observers thought the Lakers would be a threat to Oklahoma City in the Western Conference.

The Los Angeles Lakers have a clear path to defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in a potential playoff series by leveraging their defensive improvements

The Lakers had the look of a contender before they ran into the defending champion Celtics and LeBron James suffered a groin injury halfway through the fourth quarter.

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla enjoyed his front row seat to Al Horford's defensive clinic versus LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers