The Oklahoma City Thunder lie just one more win away from their second straight series sweep after pulling away again in the second half to clinch a 131-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
Ajay Mitchell continues to prove OKC’s immense backcourt depth, leading his team’s offense with 24 points and 10 assists en route to the 3-0 series lead.
“The trust that I got from my teammates and the coaching staff, they’ve been amazing from day one—that’s the key,” Mitchell said postgame.
Thunder Explode in Second Half to Remain Flawless in Postseason
Entering halftime trailing by a bucket, the Thunder imposed their championship prowess to open the third quarter, outscoring the Lakers with a 21-6 blitz to seize momentum.
Despite a run by LA to shave the deficit to five, OKC’s defense eventually halted their hot shooting, as they forced 16 total turnovers to capitalize on a 74-49 second-half scoring run.
Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 23 points and 9 assists, while Chet Holmgren chipped in 18 markers and 9 boards. The Thunder also doubled their opponents in steals, 12-6.
Lakers’ Season Nears End as Austin Reaves Continues to Struggle
The purple-and-gold now find themselves in the same situation they were in two years ago—down three games to none against the defending champions. No team in NBA history has yet won a series under that situation.
Rui Hachimura led the LA offense with 21 points, while Luke Kennard added 18 off the bench. Meanwhile, Austin Reaves has struggled with his game once again, shooting just 5-13 from the field along with a team-high 5 turnovers to finish with 17 points.
The Lakers will look to stay alive, while the Thunder look to finish the sweep in Game 4 on Tuesday.
