Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder drives past LeBron James during the game
Oklahoma City Thunder delivered another explosive second-half performance to defeat LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 131-108 on Saturday, pushing the Lakers to the brink of elimination in the NBA playoffs.
Ajay Mitchell stepped up with 24 points and 10 assists without committing a single turnover, leading the Thunder to a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.
The Lakers will host Game 4 on Monday, needing a win to stay alive. No team in NBA history has ever overcome a 0-3 deficit in a playoff series, but Lakers coach JJ Redick remained defiant.
“I’m not giving up on this series,” Redick said determinedly. “We’re going to try to win on Monday. We want to extend the series and bring it back to OKC.”
The Lakers, still without injured leading scorer Luka Doncic, failed to secure a must-win game on their home floor. Rui Hachimura led Los Angeles with 21 points, while James contributed 19 points, six rebounds, and eight assists.
But the Thunder’s depth proved too much for the shorthanded Lakers. “That’s the strength of their team,” Redick acknowledged.
With reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shooting just 7-of-20 from the field, second-year guard Mitchell—starting in place of the injured Jalen Williams—stepped up in a big way. “He’s a natural competitor,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 23 points. “It might surprise the world, but it’s no surprise to us.”
As in Game 2, the Lakers went into halftime with a two-point lead, thanks largely to 11 three-pointers in the first half. But again, the Thunder exploded in the third quarter, opening the second half on a 21-6 run.
From there, the game was effectively over. The Lakers made only eight of 22 field goal attempts in the third quarter, including just one three-pointer. Turnovers mounted, and the Thunder built a lead as large as 27 points in the fourth quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander said the Thunder, who swept the Phoenix Suns in the first round, will look to close out the Lakers on Monday. “We never want to waste an opportunity to win a game,” he said. “We have to do the same thing we’ve done in the first three games: be aggressive and play together the right way.”
Mentions:
Basketball
NBA
LeBron James
Ajay Mitchell
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Luka Doncic
Rui Hachimura
Jalen Williams
Los Angeles Lakers
Oklahoma City Thunder
American sports