The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a deep hole, trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder 0-2 in their Western Conference semi-final series following a 125-107 defeat on Thursday night. The Thunder, the defending champions, have now won all six of their playoff games this season.
Oklahoma City's victory was powered by a balanced scoring attack, with Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each contributing 22 points. Ajay Mitchell added 20 points, and Jaren McCain chipped in 18. The Lakers were once again without their scoring champion, Luka Doncic, who remains sidelined indefinitely due to a strained left hamstring. Reserve forward Jarred Vanderbilt also missed the game after dislocating a finger in the series opener.
Despite the loss, Lakers guard Austin Reaves bounced back with a strong performance, scoring 31 points on efficient shooting. LeBron James added 23 points. However, the Lakers were hampered by foul trouble, with three players finishing with five fouls each, which limited their aggressiveness in the closing stages.
The game's turning point came in the third quarter. With the Lakers holding a slim lead, Gilgeous-Alexander was involved in a tussle with Reaves and was assessed his fourth foul. After a review, the call was upgraded to a flagrant 1. Oklahoma City's Alex Caruso received a technical foul during the ensuing confusion. Gilgeous-Alexander then left the game, but the Thunder responded with a decisive run, outscoring Los Angeles 32-15 in the quarter to seize control.
Following the game, Lakers coach JJ Redick voiced strong criticism of the officiating. He argued that the Thunder, as the top seed with the reigning MVP in Gilgeous-Alexander, do not need assistance from the officials. Redick specifically highlighted the treatment of LeBron James, stating that James has "the worst whistle of any star player I've ever seen." He explained that larger, more physical players like James often don't get the same calls as smaller, more theatrical players, despite being "clobbered" on drives to the basket.
Reaves also expressed his frustration, detailing an incident where he felt disrespected by crew chief John Goble during a jump ball situation. Reaves stated that Goble yelled in his face and that he felt the only reason he wasn't given a technical foul was because the official knew he was in the wrong. Redick suggested that the Thunder's calm demeanor might work in their favor with the referees, noting they "don't show emotion" and "don't complain."
The series now shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday, where the Lakers will look to avoid falling into a nearly insurmountable 0-3 deficit.
In the other Eastern Conference semi-final, the Detroit Pistons took a 2-0 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 107-97 win. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 25 points and 10 assists, while Tobias Harris scored 21. The Pistons have now won five straight games since facing elimination in the first round. Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points for Cleveland, but James Harden struggled, making only 3 of 13 shots for 10 points. Game 3 of that series is also on Saturday in Cleveland.
Based on reporting from SkySports | News.