The Oklahoma City Thunder took over the fourth quarter on Tuesday to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 125-107 and take a 2-0 series lead.
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Thursday’s matchup was a shaky, back-and-forth battle that saw the Thunder take control in the second half.
Despite the shakiness, OKC was still ahead for the majority of the game. Their size and defense immediately caused issues for LeBron James and the Lakers.
Home-court advantage continued to benefit the Thunder as Paycom Center was as loud as ever. After 12 minutes, they led by four.
The second quarter saw the Lakers catch more of an offensive rhythm. Austin Reaves had a strong bounce-back game as momentum shifted in L.A.’s favor in the second quarter.
In fact, they led by one at halftime.
That lead grew momentarily in the third, but it didn’t take long for OKC to regain control. A rapid scoring burst helped the Thunder outscore the Lakers by 14 in the third period.
In the final frame, the Lakers made a few attempts at a comeback, but OKC took their largest lead of the night down the stretch.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each led OKC in scoring with 22 points.
For the Lakers, Reaves finished with 31 points and six assists while James put up 23 points and six assists.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
