Holmgren and Shai put OKC up 2-0 against helpless Lakers

The Oklahoma City Thunder continue their unstoppable run in these playoffs. The reigning champion once again defeated Los Angeles 125-107 and now leads 2-0 in the Western Conference semifinals against Los Angeles Lakers.

Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma's victory with 22 points each, while Ajay Mitchell contributed 20, and Jared McCain added 18 points coming off the bench.

The Thunder maintain a spectacular perfect record in the postseason with six consecutive victories.

The Lakers once again felt the impact of significant absences. Luka Doncic remains sidelined due to a hamstring injury in his left leg, and Jarred Vanderbilt, injured in a finger on his right hand during the first game of the series, was also unable to play.

Nevertheless, Austin Reaves bounced back from his initial poor performance and scored 31 points with an excellent 10 of 16 shooting from the field. LeBron James added 23 points following the 27 he had in the first matchup.

The key moment came in the third quarter. With the Lakers leading 63-61, Gilgeous-Alexander committed his fourth foul on Reaves in a play that, upon review by the officials, was deemed a Flagrant Foul 1. Additionally, Alex Caruso received a technical foul during the ensuing protests.

The Thunder's star temporarily sat on the bench with Oklahoma trailing 65-61, but the team responded emphatically without its main player. Holmgren found Jaylin Williams in transition, who made a three-pointer and drew a foul. The additional free throw extended the lead to 85-74 for the home team, decisively shifting the game.

Strong Finish by the Thunder

The Thunder dominated that stretch with a 32-15 run while Gilgeous-Alexander rested and closed the third quarter with a 93-80 advantage.

The Lakers managed to reduce the deficit to five points in the final period, but Oklahoma accelerated again in the closing moments to secure another convincing victory.

The third game of the series will be played this Saturday in Los Angeles, where the Lakers will try to bounce back to avoid being on the brink of elimination.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Holmgren y Shai ponen el 2-0 de OKC ante unos Lakers impotentes