The Oklahoma City Thunder claimed a commanding 2-0 advantage in their NBA playoff second-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers, powered by a convincing 125-107 victory in Game 2.
After trailing at halftime, the Thunder came out strong in the second half to pull away and never looked back. Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each posted 22 points, while Ajay Mitchell added 20. For the Lakers, Austin Reaves led all scorers with 31 points, and LeBron James contributed 23. Officiating decisions sparked controversy throughout the game, with both teams—especially the Lakers—frustrated by several calls.
Oklahoma City remains undefeated in this postseason after capturing the title last year. Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday in Los Angeles.
The Thunder’s depth and composure proved decisive. Los Angeles committed 21 turnovers, which the Thunder turned into a 26-14 advantage in points off turnovers and a 14-4 edge in fast-break points. Austin Reaves, despite his 31 points, turned the ball over five times, while LeBron James and Marcus Smart each had three turnovers. The turnover battle was close at halftime (eight for the Lakers, seven for the Thunder), but Los Angeles lost the second-half turnover battle 13-7, costing them the lead.
Reserve Jared McCain was a key spark off the bench, scoring 18 points on 4-of-5 shooting from three-point range in 18 minutes—his highest point total since March 21. McCain is now shooting an incredible 80% from deep in the series, easing the offensive load on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The win marked the Thunder’s sixth straight playoff victory this year. After the Lakers cut the lead to 99-94 with 7:36 left, Oklahoma City closed the game on a dominant 26-13 run. This postseason, the Thunder’s margins of victory have been impressive: Game 1 (35 points), Game 2 (13), Game 3 (12), Game 4 (9) in the first round, followed by 18-point wins in both Games 1 and 2 of the second round.
