The loss ranks among the worst in Lakers history — only six defeats have come by a larger margin, News.Az reports, citing AP.
They finished just six points shy of their record 49-point loss, which came against the Dallas Mavericks in 2017.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, outperformed Doncic, one of his main rivals for this season’s award. Doncic, who had scored at least 40 points in five of his previous seven games, was limited to 12 points on 3-of-10 shooting, including 1-of-7 from beyond the arc, as Oklahoma City’s defense proved overwhelming.
The Slovenian star exited midway through the third quarter with a left hamstring injury. Lakers head coach JJ Redick said Doncic is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Friday.
Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 15 points, while LeBron James contributed 13.
Isaiah Joe added 20 points for the Thunder, knocking down six three-pointers, as the team shot an efficient 53.9% from the field. Oklahoma City extended its strong run, winning 16 of its last 17 games. The Lakers had entered the matchup in good form as well, having won four straight and 13 of their previous 14 games.
The game carried playoff implications for the Thunder, who began the night two games ahead of San Antonio in the race for home-court advantage, with six regular-season games remaining.
Oklahoma City set the tone early, holding the Lakers scoreless for nearly five minutes before their first field goal. The Thunder built a 44-21 lead by the end of the first quarter, fueled by 14 points from Lu Dort.
The Lakers struggled again at the start of the second quarter, going more than four minutes without a basket. The Thunder surged to a 76-41 lead after a layup by Gilgeous-Alexander with 3:25 left in the half — setting a season-high for first-half scoring.
They entered halftime with an 82-51 advantage, just one point short of the franchise’s regular-season record for points in a half, previously set at 83 against Minnesota in 2021.
In the third quarter, Isaiah Joe sparked another run, hitting three three-pointers in just 85 seconds to extend the lead to 99-61. With the outcome decided, both teams relied on bench players throughout the fourth quarter.
The Lakers will look to respond when they host the Thunder in a rematch on April 7.
Next up, the Lakers travel to face the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, while the Thunder will host the Utah Jazz.
