Can Luka Dončić return to motion to assist the Lakers in opposition to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the top-seeded Thunder?
The highest-seeded Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder had been 4-0 in opposition to the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Lakers this season, and it was a convincing season sweep.
The Thunder beat the Lakers by a mean margin of 29.3 factors per sport, which was the biggest regular-season level differential between two groups from the identical convention in 2025-26.
Now, there are caveats. LeBron James, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves performed in the identical sport simply as soon as and had been minus-16 in 17.9 minutes. Dončić and Reaves sustained accidents within the April 2 contest, and all three had been out for the ultimate assembly a couple of days later.
Dončić (strained left hamstring) stays out whereas Reaves simply returned from a strained indirect in Sport 5 of Los Angeles’ first-round collection in opposition to the Houston Rockets. If Dončić returns on this collection, right here’s one other stat to think about: The Lakers had been outscored by 56 factors within the 59 minutes Dončić was on the courtroom in opposition to the Thunder.
Regardless of who is obtainable for the Lakers, they’ve offensive and defensive puzzles to resolve in the event that they need to make this a aggressive collection in opposition to the defending champions.
Sequence schedule
Right here’s the right way to watch the Thunder vs. Lakers collection:
All instances Jap Normal Time
- Sport 1: Los Angeles at Oklahoma Metropolis | Tuesday Might 5 (8:30 ET, NBC/Peacock)
- Sport 2: Los Angeles at Oklahoma Metropolis | Thursday Might 7 (9:30 ET, Prime Video)
- Sport 3: Oklahoma Metropolis at Los Angeles | Saturday Might 9 (8:30 ET, ABC)
- Sport 4: Oklahoma Metropolis at Los Angeles | Monday Might 11 (10:30 ET, Prime Video)
- Sport 5: Los Angeles at Oklahoma Metropolis | Wednesday Might 13*
- Sport 6: Oklahoma Metropolis at Los Angeles | Saturday Might 16*
- Sport 7: Los Angeles at Oklahoma Metropolis | Monday Might 18*
* = If essential
Common season outcomes
Prime storyline
Thunder’s push to repeat. No staff has repeated as champions for the reason that Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018, and no staff has appeared in consecutive NBA Finals for the reason that Warriors in 2018 and 2019. Oklahoma Metropolis made fast work of Phoenix in a first-round sweep, powered by its offense, protection, star energy and flexibility.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, final season’s Kia MVP and a finalist to win the award once more this season, was unbelievable in opposition to the Suns, averaging 33.8 factors, 8.0 assists and three.8 rebounds and taking pictures 55.1% from the sector and 89.8% on 12.3 free-throw makes an attempt per sport.
That depth allowed Thunder coach Mark Daigneault to play 10 gamers no less than 12.8 minutes per sport, and simply two gamers (Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren) performed greater than half-hour per sport in opposition to Phoenix.
Preserve your eyes on
LeBron James. At 41 years previous, James was the most effective participant within the Rockets collection, averaging 26.0 factors, 9.0 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.5 steals and taking pictures 45.1% from the sector and 42.9% on 3-pointers within the 4 victories. He struggled offensively within the two losses, however nonetheless, he was there when the Lakers wanted him in Sport 6: 28 factors, eight assists, seven rebounds.
Past what he can present in opposition to the Thunder with Dončić’s return not going till probably later in an extended collection, James’ future looms massive: Will he retire after this season, and will this be his final playoff collection if the Lakers don’t advance?
Another factor to observe for every staff
For Oklahoma Metropolis: Jalen Williams. Williams sustained a grade 1 left hamstring pressure in Sport 2 in opposition to the Suns and missed the ultimate two video games of the collection. Williams appeared in simply 33 regular-season video games on account of accidents, and his scoring and 3-point taking pictures took a slight dip. However he’s nonetheless a significant contributor and performed a big function within the Thunder’s championship final season.
Clearly, the Thunder know the right way to win video games with out Williams, however having him on the courtroom makes the Thunder higher and harder to beat.
For Los Angeles: The Lakers had been held to fewer than 100 factors within the closing three video games of the Rockets collection and scored 101 in one other sport. Sure, Houston has a strong protection, however the Thunder ranked first, permitting 106.5 factors per 100 possessions. Holmgren was a finalist for Kia Defensive Participant of the 12 months, and so they have a number of gamers who’re All-Defensive Workforce candidates.
How will the Lakers generate sufficient factors to win 4 video games, particularly if Dončić can’t play? Reaves must regain his scoring contact rapidly, Rui Hachimura must proceed his excellent 3-pointer taking pictures, and Marcus Sensible and Luke Kennard can’t disappear offensively. The Thunder have elite rim safety with Holmgren and have bodily perimeter defenders with size.
One key quantity to know
9.2 — Over their six first-round video games, the Lakers averaged 9.2 fewer shot alternatives (subject objective makes an attempt or journeys to the road) than the Rockets. That was the most important discrepancy within the first spherical by a large margin.
Over the primary 4 video games of the collection, the Lakers received completely destroyed within the possession sport, with the Rockets totaling 66 extra shot alternatives. L.A. had 22 extra turnovers and 36 fewer offensive rebounds than Houston, however nonetheless managed to win three of the 4 video games, as a result of they shot significantly better, particularly contained in the arc.
That will probably be a harder activity on this collection, and it’ll even be robust to win the possession sport in opposition to the Thunder. They averaged 5.2 extra shot alternatives than the Phoenix Suns, the second largest differential within the first spherical, although the possession sport had been the Suns’ largest power within the common season. Previous to the weekend Sport 7s, the Thunder ranked first in turnover charge, second in offensive rebounding share and fourth in opponent turnover charge within the first spherical.
— John Schuhmann
The decide
Thunder in 5. Oklahoma Metropolis seems targeted and has an excessive amount of expertise and depth for the Lakers to beat in a best-of-7 collection.
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Jeff Zillgitt has lined the NBA since 2008. You possibly can e-mail him at jzillgitt@nba.com, discover his archive right here and follow him on X.