Thunder rally past Lakers after Gilgeous-Alexander foul trouble
Defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder continued their dominant playoff run Thursday night, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 125-107 to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.
Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each scored 22 points as Oklahoma City remained unbeaten in the postseason at 6-0. The Thunder once again showed their depth, with Ajay Mitchell adding 20 points and rookie Jaren McCain contributing 18 in another high-energy performance at home, News.Az reports, citing ESPN.
The Lakers were already facing an uphill battle without Luka Dončić, who remains sidelined indefinitely because of a strained left hamstring. Los Angeles also lost defensive forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who suffered a dislocated pinkie finger in Game 1, leaving the roster even thinner against one of the league’s deepest teams.
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Despite the setbacks, Austin Reaves bounced back in impressive fashion after struggling in the opener. The Lakers guard scored 31 points on efficient shooting, while LeBron James followed his strong Game 1 showing with 23 more points.
The game shifted dramatically in the third quarter after Gilgeous-Alexander was hit with a flagrant 1 foul during a collision with Reaves. The MVP candidate picked up his fourth foul and headed to the bench with the Lakers holding a narrow lead.
Instead of fading, Oklahoma City exploded.
The Thunder delivered a stunning 32-15 run while Gilgeous-Alexander sat out, turning a four-point deficit into a double-digit advantage by the end of the quarter. A momentum-changing sequence came when Holmgren found Jaylin Williams on a fast break for a three-pointer plus the foul, igniting the crowd and pushing Oklahoma City firmly in control.
Los Angeles briefly cut the lead to five in the fourth quarter, but the Thunder quickly answered and pulled away again with their trademark pace, ball movement and defensive pressure.
Now heading to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday, the Lakers face growing pressure to avoid falling into a nearly impossible 3-0 hole against a Thunder team that looks increasingly unstoppable.
By Aysel Mammadzada
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