Oklahoma City Thunder made a strong start to their Western Conference semi-final series, beating Los Angeles Lakers 108-90 to take a 1-0 lead.
Chet Holmgren starred with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell added 18 points each in a balanced Thunder performance. Oklahoma City’s defense was equally dominant, restricting the Lakers to their lowest playoff score since 2021.
LeBron James led the Lakers with 27 points, but lacked enough support as the Thunder continued their dominance over Los Angeles, extending their unbeaten run against them this season.