The series will now pivot to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4.
The Oklahoma City Thunder moved to 2-0 in its second-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night with yet another 18-point victory. But the difference in this one was that the Lakers led at halftime and kept competitive into the second half, despite what the final score would suggest. In fact, the Lakers held a multi-possession lead in the third quarter.
But the Thunder had its runs, as it always does, and the third quarter is where things really went on tilt. After trailing by one point at halftime, OKC took complete control coming out of the break and won the third quarter 36-22, then did enough in the fourth quarter to maintain that lead.
The star of the show tonight was Jared McCain, who led all bench scorers with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. He’s really risen to the occasion in this series with back-to-back strong performances.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was once again relatively quiet by his standards. He finished with 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting as the Lakers continued to double-team him throughout the game and force others around him to make shots and spread the floor.
Ajay Mitchell added 20 points and continues to start in the absence of Jalen Williams, while Chet Holmgren finished with 22 points of his own. Cason Wallace also provided another big spark off the bench with 12 points, including 2-of-3 shooting from deep.
It was a collective effort from OKC, which had six players score in double figures. Both teams shot the ball extremely well. The Lakers shot 37.9% from beyond the arc while the Thunder shot 38.9%, and both squads finished above 50% from the field overall.
Ultimately, it came down to the margins. The Thunder forced 21 Lakers turnovers and turned those into 26 points. OKC also finished with 17 second-chance points, continuing to dominate the little things that often decide playoff games.
Now, the series shifts back to Los Angeles, where Game 3 will take place Saturday night.