The Oklahoma City Thunder took a commanding 3-0 lead in their Western Conference semi-final series after a dominant 131-108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, leaving LeBron James and his teammates on the verge of elimination.
Oklahoma City Thunder once again broke the game open in the second half, as Ajay Mitchell delivered a standout performance with 24 points and 10 assists without committing a turnover. The win gives Oklahoma City a firm grip on the best-of-seven series.
The Lakers, still missing injured star Luka Dončić, will now need to make NBA history by becoming the first team ever to recover from a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series. Head coach JJ Redick insisted his team would not give up and would fight to extend the series in Game 4 on Monday.
Los Angeles Lakers showed early resistance, taking a narrow halftime lead for the second straight game, but once again collapsed after the break. The Thunder opened the third quarter with a 21-6 run and never looked back, stretching their lead to as many as 27 points.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 23 points despite an off shooting night, while Rui Hachimura led the Lakers with 21 and LeBron James added 19 points along with eight assists.
Meanwhile in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers kept their series alive with a 116-109 win over the Detroit Pistons, cutting their deficit to 2-1.
Cleveland Cavaliers were led by Donovan Mitchell’s 35-point performance, while James Harden provided crucial late-game scoring to help seal the victory. Harden scored key baskets in the fourth quarter, including a decisive three-pointer that helped Cleveland hold off a late Pistons rally.
Despite a triple-double from Cade Cunningham, the Pistons fell short after briefly taking the lead late in the game. Cleveland, unbeaten at home this postseason, will look to level the series in Game 4.
