Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander every scored 22 factors because the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder beat the Los Angeles Lakers 125-107 on Thursday evening to take a 2-0 lead within the Western Convention semifinal sequence.
Ajay Mitchell had 20 factors, and Jared McCain added 18 for the defending champion Thunder, which improved to 6-0 within the playoffs. The Lakers will host Sport 3 on Saturday.
The Lakers once more had been with out scoring champion Luka Doncic, who’s out indefinitely with a strained left hamstring. Additionally they had been lacking ahead Jarred Vanderbilt, the reserve ahead who dislocated the pinkie finger on his proper hand in the course of the second quarter of Sport 1. The Lakers additionally had three gamers end with 5 fouls, limiting their aggressiveness late within the recreation.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves, who struggled together with his shot in Sport 1, scored 31 factors on 10-for-16 capturing in Sport 2. LeBron James, coming off a 27-point effort in Sport 1, adopted that up with 23.
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With the Lakers up 63-61 early within the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander received tied up with Reaves and was known as for his fourth foul. Upon overview, it was upgraded to a flagrant 1 for Gilgeous-Alexander’s followthrough. Oklahoma Metropolis’s Alex Caruso was known as for a technical foul because the state of affairs was being sorted out.
Gilgeous-Alexander left the sport with the Lakers up 65-61, however the Thunder rallied and took management with out him. On a quick break, Holmgren discovered a trailing Jaylin Williams, who hit a 3-pointer and was fouled. His free throw put the Thunder up 85-74.
The Thunder outscored the Lakers 32-15 whereas Gilgeous-Alexander was out within the third quarter to take a 93-80 lead into the fourth. The Lakers minimize Oklahoma Metropolis’s result in 5 within the fourth quarter earlier than the Thunder pulled away once more.
Printed on Might 08, 2026