NBA: Thunder dismantle Lakers 125-107 without Doncic
In the second game of the playoff series, the Thunder defeated the Lakers 125-107. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each scored 22 points. Oklahoma City leads the series 2-0, while Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 31 points.
Main Event
The Oklahoma City Thunder confidently defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the second game of the NBA Western Conference Semifinals. The game, held on May 7 at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, ended with the defending champions winning 125-107. The Thunder took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, leaving the Lakers with a daunting task to save the series on their home court.
Mark Daigneault's team showcased their trademark depth. Despite injuries to key players, Oklahoma City found the resources to stifle the opponent, who, on the other hand, had to manage without their biggest star — Luka Doncic.
Details and Statistics
The game looked promising for the visitors only in the first half. The Lakers moved the ball well and made shots, heading into halftime with a slim 58-57 lead. Austin Reaves, who struggled in Game 1 (8 points, 3-of-16 shooting), fully redeemed himself: the guard scored a playoff career-high 31 points on 10-of-16 shooting, adding 6 assists. LeBron James contributed 23 points and 6 assists, while Rui Hachimura added 16 points.
The turning point came in the third quarter. Early in the period, Thunder leader Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was called for an offensive foul, which after a video review was upgraded to a flagrant — his fourth personal foul. With the Lakers leading 66-61 and Gilgeous-Alexander on the bench, it seemed the visitors would finally seize control. But the opposite happened: over 12 minutes, the Thunder went on a devastating 32-15 run.
Several players starred offensively for Oklahoma City. Chet Holmgren had a phenomenal game, recording 22 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals (a playoff career high), and 2 blocks. Ajay Mitchell, filling in for the injured Jalen Williams, scored 20 points and dished out 6 assists. Rookie Jared McCain added 18 points off the bench, hitting 4 of 5 three-pointers. In total, the trio of Holmgren, Mitchell, and McCain outscored the Lakers 23-22 in the third quarter alone.
The Lakers' main issue was turnovers: 21 giveaways led to 26 points for the Thunder. Additionally, they allowed 17 second-chance points on the offensive glass.
Context and Significance
Historical stats are against the Lakers. Since the 16-team playoff format was introduced in 1984, teams that fall behind 0-2 in a series with home-court advantage have a 19-221 record. In other words, the Californians' chances of a comeback are statistically negligible.
A key factor is the absence of Luka Doncic. The Slovenian superstar has not played since early April due to a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Doncic himself admitted that the initial medical prognosis suggested eight weeks of recovery, and that timeline has not yet passed. He has not been cleared for contact practices, and according to insiders, he is unlikely to appear in this series at all.
Without Doncic, the Lakers' offense relies solely on LeBron and Reaves, but that is clearly insufficient against Oklahoma City's layered defense. Even though the Thunder themselves lost key forward Jalen Williams (also to a hamstring injury), Daigneault's team has more than enough depth.
The Thunder have not lost a single game in this postseason — six wins in six games. The team operates like a well-oiled machine, where the loss of any part is compensated by collective chemistry and roster depth. After the game, Coach Daigneault called Holmgren "an absolute winner who rises to the occasion when the lights shine brightest."
What's Next / Next Game Preview
Game 3 of the series will take place on Saturday, May 9, in Los Angeles at the Crypto.com Arena. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM ET (12:30 AM Moscow time on Sunday). The game will be broadcast on ABC with an alternate feed on ESPN.
For the Lakers, this is, without exaggeration, a do-or-die game for the season. A 0-3 deficit would be a death sentence that has never been overturned in NBA history. The key questions are the physical condition of LeBron James, who is logging over 38 minutes per game, and whether Austin Reaves can once again deliver a 30+ point performance.
For Oklahoma City to advance to the conference finals, they simply need to play their brand of basketball — fast, aggressive on defense, and with constant ball movement on offense. If Gilgeous-Alexander avoids early foul trouble and Holmgren continues to dominate the paint, the series could end in a minimum of four games.
— Editorial Team
