Before the Lakers successfully ended their first round playoff series against the Rockets, coach JJ Redick explained what makes close out games so challenging. “You have to kill them,” Redick said. “It’s difficult to kill someone. Survival instincts say, ‘I want to stay alive.’ So, you got to be able to kill them. That’s what [it takes].” The Lakers’ sense of urgency in Monday’s Game 4 against the Thunder at Crypto.com Arena, with their season on the line, showed exactly why that’s the case. LeBron James reacts during the Lakers’ May 11 loss to the Thunder in Game 4. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect But in the end, the Thunder killed the Lakers’ 2025-26 season, with the Lakers falling to the Thunder, 115-110, in Game 4 and being eliminated from the playoffs. Each fourth-quarter bucket from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell were deep gashes into the Lakers’ chest.…