LOS ANGELES — The Oklahoma City Thunder stayed unbeaten in the 2026 playoffs, brushing aside the Los Angeles Lakers 131-108 on Saturday night to take a 3-0 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series.
Guard Ajay Mitchell delivered career postseason highs with 24 points and 10 assists, while reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 23 points and nine assists. Oklahoma City is now 7-0 this postseason and 7-0 against the Lakers this season, becoming the NBA’s sixth defending champion to open a subsequent playoff run with seven straight wins.
Third-quarter burst seals it again
The Thunder replicated their Game 2 script by breaking open a tight contest after halftime. Trailing by two at the break, Oklahoma City outscored Los Angeles 33-20 in the third quarter and was never threatened the rest of the way.
Chet Holmgren finished with 18 points and nine rebounds, helping the visitors control the paint. The defending champions shot 54% overall and committed only nine turnovers.
Lakers struggle without Doncic
LeBron James had 19 points, eight assists and six rebounds, but shot 7-for-18. Austin Reaves chipped in 17 points and nine assists, and Rui Hachimura led Los Angeles with 21 points. The Lakers’ backcourt combined to shoot 12-for-32, and the team has now dropped five of its past six games.
Luke Kennard scored 18 points off the bench, while NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic missed his 14th straight game with a strained hamstring sustained on April 2 in Oklahoma City. The injury typically requires roughly two months of recovery, and no return date has been set.
Mitchell’s rise continues
Mitchell, a Belgian rookie, went 10-for-17 from the field and has scored at least 14 points in six consecutive playoff outings. His play helped offset the absence of Jalen Williams, who missed his fifth straight game with a strained hamstring.
Game 4 is scheduled for Monday night at Crypto.com Arena, where the Lakers will try to avoid elimination.
Source: ESPN
