Thunder Dominate Lakers, Near Western Conference Crown Again
The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the verge of clinching the NBA's Western Conference top spot for the third consecutive season following a commanding 123-87 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. This decisive win places the Thunder just one victory away from securing the top seed, or relying on a loss from the San Antonio Spurs. The Thunder previously defeated the Lakers 139-96 just six days prior, marking one of the heaviest defeats in Lakers' history. Despite missing key players like Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James, the Lakers managed to stay competitive into the second quarter. However, the Thunder surged ahead, scoring 23 points while allowing only five in the final 7 minutes and 16 seconds of the first half, seizing control of the game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 25 points in just 28 minutes, extending his record to 139 consecutive games with 20 or more points. This victory marked the Thunder’s sixth straight win and their 18th in 19 games. For the Lakers, the defeat signifies their third consecutive loss, causing them to fall behind the Denver Nuggets in the race for third place in the conference. Rui Hachimura was the standout for the Lakers, scoring 15 points, but no other player managed to surpass 11 points.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-04-08