The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder picked up right where they left off, delivering a commanding 108-90 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Tuesday night. With the win, Oklahoma City takes a 1-0 series lead and improves to a perfect 5-0 this postseason.
Chet Holmgren anchored the Thunder on both ends, finishing with 24 points and 12 rebounds in a dominant two-way performance. His presence in the paint altered shots defensively while fueling Oklahoma City’s efficient offense.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell each contributed 18 points, with Mitchell stepping up in place of injured All-Star Jalen Williams, who missed his third straight game due to a left hamstring strain.
The Thunder shot an impressive 49.4% from the field and knocked down 13-of-30 attempts from beyond the arc, showcasing their offensive depth even without one of their top scorers.
The Lakers, still without scoring champion Luka Dončić due to a lingering hamstring injury, struggled to generate consistent offense. LeBron James led Los Angeles with 27 points, while Rui Hachimura added 18.
However, the supporting cast faltered. Austin Reaves, who averaged over 23 points per game in the regular season, was limited to just eight points on 3-for-16 shooting, emblematic of the Lakers’ offensive woes.
As a team, Los Angeles shot 41.7% from the field and committed 17 turnovers, repeatedly stalling any momentum they tried to build.
The Lakers came out strong, opening the game on a 7-0 run behind early scoring from James. But Oklahoma City quickly found its rhythm after shaking off rust from an eight day layoff, closing the first quarter with a 31-26 lead.
A highlight moment came in the second quarter when Holmgren threw down a powerful alley-oop dunk off a lob from Isaiah Hartenstein, extending the Thunder lead to nine. On the play, Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt suffered a pinkie finger injury and did not return.
Despite 16 first-half points from James, Oklahoma City carried a 61-53 advantage into halftime.
Oklahoma City began to pull away in the third quarter, highlighted by a four-point play from Mitchell, who drilled a corner three and converted the free throw after being fouled by Marcus Smart. That sequence pushed the lead to 84-72 heading into the final frame.
From there, the Thunder never looked back. A fast-break dunk by Alex Caruso early in the fourth quarter stretched the lead to 15, and Oklahoma City maintained full control down the stretch.
This victory continues a season long trend, as the Thunder have now won all five matchups against the Lakers this year, including the regular season, by an average margin of nearly 30 points.
Game 2 is set for Thursday night in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder will look to tighten their grip on the series, while the Lakers search for answers and hope for the return of Dončić to spark their offense.
This is exactly what works