Oklahoma City is now eight wins away from another title.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are officially eight wins away from a back-to-back NBA championship after a Game 4 sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.
This was the closest call of the series thus far. The Lakers actually held the lead late into the fourth quarter, but Oklahoma City ultimately got the job done with some big clutch buckets, winning the clutch minutes 18-13 down the stretch. It was another game in which Ajay Mitchell was the hero. He had 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting in an ultra-efficient performance while also playing incredible defense.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was up and down throughout the game but still finished with 35 points on 11-of-22 shooting. He also attempted 15 free throws, doing a lot of his damage from the line. Chet Holmgren added 16 points and nine rebounds, while Jared McCain was a huge spark plug off the bench with 13 points. He hit multiple big shots early in the fourth quarter that helped Oklahoma City claw back within reach after trailing by multiple possessions.
Overall, both teams shot the ball well. The Lakers and Thunder each shot above 50% from the floor and above 80% from the free throw line, while both teams finished around 35% from beyond the arc. It was a game won on the margins, and Oklahoma City simply made more winning plays late to secure the victory.
The better team in this series was OKC, and that was the team that came out on top. Luka Doncic never suited up in this series, which didn't make it any easier for the Lakers.
The Thunder will now await the winner of the Minnesota Timberwolves versus San Antonio Spurs series in the Western Conference Finals. Oklahoma City is still 8-0 in the playoffs thus far.