The Lakers had been speculated to be the simple playoff matchup within the troublesome Western Convention. They didn’t get the memo.
LeBron James’ Herculean effort led the shorthanded Lakers to a six-game sequence win over the Houston Rockets within the first spherical, organising a convention semifinal sequence in opposition to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder that begins Tuesday.
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The Lakers season took a flip for the worst the final time the Lakers performed in Oklahoma Metropolis, dropping Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to regular-season ending accidents. The demoralizing loss despatched the Lakers right into a three-game tail spin one month earlier than the playoffs.
However the place most noticed concern, Lakers coach JJ Redick noticed alternative.
“I had little question in my thoughts that we might get the group again and construct the assumption and confidence and have the ability to execute and provides ourselves a chance to win a playoff sequence,” Redick stated. “After which go tackle the world champions and be aggressive in that.”
The Thunder have lived as much as their championship billing; they had been the one crew to brush their first-round playoff sequence. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 33.8 factors on 55.1% taking pictures and eight assists within the first spherical in opposition to the Phoenix Suns. The Thunder performed two video games with out All-NBA wing Jalen Williams, who injured his left hamstring in Recreation 2 and was week-to-week with a Grade 1 pressure.
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Doncic’s Grade 2 left hamstring pressure will probably hold him out at the least for the start of the sequence.
Right here’s how the groups match up (with regular-season statistics):
Key crew stats
LAKERS:Common-season file: 53-29Offensive ranking (OFF RTG): 117.0 (tenth)Defensive ranking (DEF RTG):115.5 (twentieth)Web Score (NET RTG)*: 1.5 (14th)
THUNDER:Common-season file: 64-18Offensive ranking (OFF RTG): 117.6 (seventh)Defensive ranking (DEF RTG): 106.5 (1st)Web Score (NET RTG)*: 11.1 (1st)
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(*Web ranking subtracts defensive ranking from offensive ranking for a projected margin of victory.)
Gamers to observe
LAKERS:LeBron James: 20.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 7.2 apg, 51.5 fg%/31.7 3-pt. fg%/73.7 ftpercentAustin Reaves: 23.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 5.5 apg, 49.0 fg%/36 3-pt. fg%/87.1 ftpercentDeandre Ayton: 12.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1 bpg, 67 fg%/64.5% ft
THUNDER:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 31.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 6.6 apg, 55.3 fg%/38.6 3-pt. fg%/87.9 ftpercentChet Holmgren: 17.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.9 bpg, 55.7 fg%/36.2% 3-pt. fg%/79.2 ftpercentIsaiah Joe: 11.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.3 ast, 45.5 fg%/42.3 3-pt. fg%/89.4 ft%
How the Lakers fared
Season sequence: 0-4
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Nov. 12, 2025, in Oklahoma CityThunder 121, Lakers 92Neither crew was at full energy with James sidelined due to sciatica and the Thunder with out Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams. Oklahoma Metropolis nonetheless dominated behind an easy 30-point, nine-assist evening from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It was the most important defeat of the season for the Lakers till April.
Feb. 9, in Los AngelesThunder 119, Lakers 110Both groups had been with out their MVP candidates as Gilegous-Alexander sat due to a strained stomach muscle and Doncic was sidelined by a hamstring harm. The Thunder proved their depth and chemistry by holding off the Lakers within the fourth quarter. This was one among simply eight clutch-time losses for the Lakers in the course of the common season.
April 2, in Oklahoma CityThunder 139, Lakers 96The nightmare rating wasn’t as scary for the Lakers as seeing their two main scorers injured in the identical recreation. Reaves performed by way of what was later identified as a Grade 2 indirect muscle pressure, and Doncic left within the third quarter with a Grade 2 left hamstring pressure. The sport was anticipated to be a serious showdown between MVP candidates and a litmus check for the Lakers, who entered with 13 wins of their earlier 14 video games.
April 8, in Los AngelesThunder 123, Lakers 87The Lakers had been with out 4 starters and nonetheless reeling from the common season-ending accidents suffered by Doncic and Reaves the earlier week. Matching up with the Thunder once more solely exacerbated the emotional hangover. Redick tried to inject some vitality into the group by benching veterans Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt for small errors early, however the coach later admitted the tactic didn’t work.
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Early odds
The Thunder opened as 16-point favorites to win Recreation 1. James has by no means been an even bigger underdog in a playoff recreation, based on Yahoo Sports activities.
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This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Instances.
