The Oklahoma City Thunder have advanced to the Western Conference Finals after completing a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers with a 115-110 victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with game highs of 35 points and 8 assists, while Ajay Mitchell contributed 28 points and 4 steals to silence the crowd at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers mounted a significant challenge in the third quarter, led by LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura, taking a four-point lead into the final frame. The fourth quarter remained a back-and-forth battle until the final minute. After a Marcus Smart and-one gave the Lakers a slim lead with 41 seconds remaining, Chet Holmgren answered with a go-ahead dunk. Free throws from Gilgeous-Alexander and Mitchell capped a 6-0 closing run to seal the win.
“Both groups fought like hell, but Thunder win,” Gilgeous-Alexander remarked after the game. The defending champions are now 8-0 this postseason, joining an elite group of only three other defending titleholders to start a playoff run with eight consecutive wins.
Oklahoma City has dominated opponents with an average scoring margin of 16.6 points, the third-highest differential for a team starting 8-0. Despite their perfect start and two-way dominance, the team remains focused on the ultimate prize. “We still haven’t reached our goal,” said Gilgeous-Alexander.
