NBA Playoffs: What to expect in Thunder-Lakers series

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The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder have been 4-0 in opposition to the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Lakers this season, and it was a convincing season sweep.

The Thunder beat the Lakers by a mean margin of 29.3 factors per recreation, which was the biggest regular-season level differential between two groups from the identical convention in 2025-26.

Now, there are caveats. LeBron James, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves performed in the identical recreation simply as soon as and have been minus-16 in 17.9 minutes. Dončić and Reaves sustained injuries in the April 2 contest, and all three have been out for the ultimate assembly a couple of days later.

Dončić (strained left hamstring) stays out whereas Reaves just returned from a strained indirect in Game 5 of Los Angeles’ first-round series against the Houston Rockets. If Dončić returns in this series, here is one other stat to think about: The Lakers have been outscored by 56 points in the 59 minutes Dončić was on the court docket in opposition to the Thunder.

No matter who is obtainable for the Lakers, they’ve offensive and defensive puzzles to clear up if they need to make this a aggressive series in opposition to the defending champions.

Series schedule

Here’s how to watch the Thunder vs. Lakers series:

All occasions Eastern Standard Time

• Game 1: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City | Tuesday May 5 (8:30 ET, NBC/Peacock)
• Game 2: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City | Thursday May 7 (9:30 ET, Prime Video)
• Game 3: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles | Saturday May 9 (8:30 ET, ABC)
• Game 4: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles | Monday May 11 (10:30 ET, Prime Video)
• Game 5: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City | Wednesday May 13*
• Game 6: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles | Saturday May 16*
• Game 7: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City | Monday May 18*

* = If crucial

Regular season outcomes

Top storyline

Thunder’s push to repeat. No workforce has repeated as champions for the reason that Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018and no workforce has appeared in consecutive NBA Finals for the reason that Warriors in 2018 and 2019. Oklahoma City made fast work of Phoenix in a first-round sweeppowered by its offense, protection, star energy and flexibility.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, final season’s Kia MVP and a finalist to win the award once more this season, he was implausible in opposition to the Suns, averaging 33.8 factors, 8.0 assists and three.8 rebounds and capturing 55.1% from the sector and 89.8% on 12.3 free-throw makes an attempt per recreation.

That depth allowed Thunder coach Mark Daigneault to play 10 gamers at the least 12.8 minutes per recreation, and simply two gamers (Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren) performed greater than half-hour per recreation in opposition to Phoenix.

Keep your eyes on

LeBron James. At 41 years outdated, James was the very best participant in the Rockets series, averaging 26.0 factors, 9.0 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.5 steals and capturing 45.1% from the sector and 42.9% on 3-pointers in the 4 victories. He struggled offensively in the 2 losses, however however, he was there when the Lakers wanted him in Game 6: 28 factors, eight assists, seven rebounds.

Beyond what he can present in opposition to the Thunder with Dončić’s return not going till presumably later in a protracted series, James’ future looms giant: Will he retire after this season, and will this be his final playoff series if the Lakers do not advance?

One other thing to look ahead to every workforce

For Oklahoma City: Jalen Williams. Williams sustained a grade 1 left hamstring strain in Game 2 in opposition to the Suns and missed the ultimate two video games of the series. Williams appeared in simply 33 regular-season video games due to accidents, and his scoring and 3-point capturing took a slight dip. But he is nonetheless an important contributor and performed a big function in the Thunder’s championship final season.

Obviously, the Thunder understand how to win video games with out Williams, however having him on the court docket makes the Thunder higher and tougher to beat.

For Los Angeles: The Lakers have been held to fewer than 100 factors in the final three games of the Rockets series and scored 101 in one other recreation. Yes, Houston has a stable protection, however the Thunder ranked firstpermitting 106.5 factors per 100 possessions. Holmgren was a finalist for Kia Defensive Player of the Yearthey usually have a number of gamers who’re All-Defensive Team candidates.

How will the Lakers generate sufficient factors to win 4 video games, particularly if Dončić cannot play? Reaves wants to regain his scoring contact rapidly, Rui Hachimura wants to proceed his excellent 3-point capturing, and Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard cannot disappear offensively. The Thunder have elite rim safety with Holmgren and have bodily perimeter defenders with size.

One key quantity to know

9.2 — Over their six first-round video games, the Lakers averaged 9.2 fewer shot alternatives (subject purpose makes an attempt or journeys to the road) than the Rockets. That was the largest discrepancy in the primary spherical by a large margin.

Over the primary 4 video games of the series, the Lakers obtained completely destroyed in the possession recreation, with the Rockets totaling 66 extra shot alternatives. LA had 22 more turnovers and 36 fewer offensive rebounds than Houston, however nonetheless managed to win three of the 4 video games, as a result of they shot significantly better, particularly contained in the arc.

That might be a more durable activity in this series, and it’ll even be robust to win the possession recreation in opposition to the Thunder. They averaged 5.2 extra shot alternatives than the Phoenix Suns, the second greatest differential in the primary spherical, despite the fact that the possession recreation had been the Suns’ greatest energy in the common season. Prior to the weekend Game 7s, the Thunder ranked first in turnover price, second in offensive rebounding share and fourth in opponent turnover price in the primary spherical.

—John Schuhmann

The choose

Thunder in 5. Oklahoma City seems targeted and has an excessive amount of expertise and depth for the Lakers to overcome in a best-of-7 series.

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Jeff Zillgitt has lined the NBA since 2008. You can e-mail him at jzillgitt@nba.comdiscover his archive here and follow him on.