The Oklahoma City Thunder showcased their strength in the NBA playoffs, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 125-107 on Thursday night to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semi-finals. Both Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 22 points each, contributing to their perfect 6-0 playoff record. The Lakers struggled without their scoring champion Luka Doncic, who is sidelined indefinitely due to a strained hamstring, along with forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who dislocated his pinkie finger.

In Game 2, the Lakers saw Austin Reaves bounce back with 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting, while LeBron James added 23 points. However, the Lakers faced foul trouble, with three players finishing with five fouls, limiting their aggressive play late in the game. A pivotal moment occurred when Gilgeous-Alexander was called for a flagrant foul, leaving the Thunder to rally and outscore the Lakers 32-15 during his absence in the third quarter.

Lakers coach JJ Redick criticized the officiating, particularly the treatment of James, stating, "LeBron has the worst whistle of any star player I've ever seen." The Lakers will host Game 3 on Saturday.

In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 107-97, taking a 2-0 lead in their series. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 25 points and 10 assists, while Tobias Harris added 21 points. The Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points, but the team struggled with shooting, going 0 for 11 from three-point range in the fourth quarter. Game 3 is set for Saturday in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers aim to bounce back after their recent loss.