The Oklahoma City Thunder, the Western Conference’s top seed and defending champions, kept their perfect postseason alive by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 115-110 in Game 4, completing a sweep and advancing to the Western Conference Finals. The victory marked another dominant performance from a Thunder team that has been firing on all cylinders.
Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City’s backcourt once again proved unstoppable. Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 35 points, including 12 from the free-throw line, along with 8 assists in his first 30-point outing of the series. Mitchell added a playoff career-high 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting, plus 4 assists, 4 steals, and 3 rebounds. Over the series, Mitchell averaged 22.5 points on 56.3% shooting against the Lakers. The Thunder also got key contributions from Jared McCain (13 points) and Alex Caruso (9 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals), overcoming the absence of Jalen Williams (strained left hamstring).
Los Angeles played their best four quarters of the series but still came up short. LeBron James posted 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Austin Reaves bounced back from a tough Game 3 with 27 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks, and 8 turnovers. Rui Hachimura continued his hot shooting, scoring 25 points on 9-of-15 from the field and hitting 55.2% from three in the series. Jaxson Hayes contributed 18 points. The Lakers cut their turnovers from previous games but still committed 19, leading to 22 points for the Thunder.
“There were two different moments in the game where we could have folded, could have given in. But we didn’t,” said Lakers head coach JJ Redick.
The Thunder’s frontcourt duo of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein made the difference down the stretch. Holmgren scored 8 of his 16 points in the final 5:10 of the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead dunk on an assist from Hartenstein with 32.8 seconds left. Hartenstein managed only 5 points but grabbed 10 rebounds, dished 5 assists, and recorded 5 steals, posting a plus-30 in his 28 minutes. Mitchell’s two free throws with 12.2 seconds left sealed the win for Oklahoma City, who will now face the winner of the Minnesota Timberwolves-San Antonio Spurs series.
With the season over for Los Angeles, the focus quickly shifts to the future of LeBron James. The 41-year-old, who remains under contract for next season with a player option, hinted that he will discuss his decision with his family. “I don’t know what the future holds, obviously, from tonight’s standpoint,” James said. “I’ll sit back—like I said last year after losing to Minnesota—I’ll sit back and regroup with my family, talk with them, spend some time with them, and when the time comes, obviously you guys will know my decision.”
Redick acknowledged the uncertainty ahead. “You have to be realistic and assess where you are—we’re not good enough right now. There could be some continuity, or there may not be. That’s what the next two months will be about.”
The Lakers have several players under contract for next season, including Luka Dončić (who missed the playoffs with a hamstring strain), Reaves (player option), and others. Key free agents include Hachimura, Hayes, and James himself. Whether the King returns to Hollywood, moves elsewhere, or retires remains the biggest story of the offseason.
