Thunder pull away from Lakers again to take 3-0 series lead

3 min read
Thunder pull away from Lakers again to take 3-0 series lead

Thunder pull away from Lakers again to take 3-0 series lead

This series hasn't been close.

Thunder pull away from Lakers again to take 3-0 series lead

This series hasn't been close.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the brink of a Western Conference finals appearance, and they’re making it look easy. With a commanding 131-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, the Thunder have taken a 3-0 series lead and remain perfect through seven postseason games. In fact, since the start of February, OKC is an incredible 27-1 in games featuring star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Lakers came out swinging in the first half, trading blows with the Thunder and even heading into the locker room with a lead. But the third quarter told a different story. OKC opened the period with a blistering 21-6 run, seizing control of the game. Los Angeles managed to trim the deficit to five points late in the third, but then the Thunder hit another gear—one that only this team seems capable of finding. By the time the Lakers emptied their bench with 3:38 left in the game, the outcome was already decided.

While the Lakers succeeded in limiting Gilgeous-Alexander to 23 points on 7-of-20 shooting, it didn’t matter. Oklahoma City’s deep supporting cast stepped up once again, with six other players scoring in double figures. The Thunder shot an impressive 56.4% from the field and 44.7% from three-point range, all while committing just nine turnovers. It’s a balanced attack that has proven nearly impossible to stop.

Injuries have certainly played a role in this series—Luka Dončić and Thunder standout Jalen Williams have both been sidelined—but the results have been decisive. Every loss for the Lakers has come by double digits, and counting the regular season, they are now 0-7 against OKC this year with an average scoring margin of 25.4 points. The closest game was a nine-point defeat. Even when the Lakers were healthy, like on April 2, both Dončić and Austin Reaves ended up injured.

The Thunder will go for the sweep on Monday night in Los Angeles (10:30 p.m. ET, Prime Video). History is not on the Lakers’ side: no team has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit. For fans looking to gear up like their favorite Thunder players, now is the time to stock up on OKC apparel—this team is making a statement, and they’re not done yet.

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