No excuse for the Thunder to play this bad without Russell Westbrook

Nick Collison and the Lakers' Kyle Kuzma fight for a rebound Thursday night. (AP Photo)

Thursday night was a trip through the time tunnel for the Thunder. A trip back to those long-ago days of 2014-15. You remember that season well. Russell Westbrook was injured early in the season. Kevin Durant was injured through most of the season. The Thunder struggled to score.

There was the home game against Houston, when the Rockets won 69-65. Road losses like 98-81 at Utah, 104-83 at Sacramento, 116-85 at Brooklyn.

The Thunder 13 times scored under 90 points. It was 0-13 in those games.

That’s what Thursday night looked like in Staples Center, where the Lakers routed the Thunder 106-81. OKC was playing without Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and (of course) Andre Roberson. That’s three starters out. So the Thunder had an excuse. For losing. Not for playing like we saw.