OKC nears Western Conference finals berth after walloping Lakers

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Oklahoma City Thunder moved a win away from securing a second consecutive Western Conference finals ticket after manhandling the Los Angeles Lakers, 131-108, in Game 3 of the ongoing NBA playoffs on May 10, 2026.

Different game, same episode.

For the third straight time, the Lakers started the first half with a solid effort on both ends of the floor, but the defending NBA champions proved to be too much, putting on a clinic in how to close out a postseason matchup on the road in front of a raucous Crypto.com Arena packed with 19,057 LA fans.

With another lopsided victory, Oklahoma City blitzed to a commanding 3-0 series lead and will have the chance to pull off the sweep on May 12, 2026, also at Crypto.com Arena.

The Thunder pounded the shaded lane to set the tone in the first quarter as they outscored the Lakers in the paint, 16-6, for a 31-25 advantage.

Although Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carried their usual offensive load, it was bench energizer Cason Wallace who stole the show, erupting for 11 quick points on perfect 4-for-4 shooting from the field.

Just like in Games 1 and 2, the Lakers got off to a rousing start in the second quarter, outscoring the Thunder, 34-26, to claim a slim 59-57 lead heading into the second half.

It was Rui Hachimura who sparked the Lakers in the second frame with 16 first-half points, while outside sniper Luke Kennard had 13 off the bench.

Despite LeBron James and Austin Reaves’ offensive struggles, the 1-2 punch stepped up when the Lakers needed their scoring the most as they outdueled Holmgren and Gilgeous-Alexander in the second-quarter slugfest.

However, the turning point came in the third quarter, when Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell picked up the slack after dismal shooting in the first half.

Mitchell recovered in the scoring department after chipping in only six points in the first two quarters, ending the Game 3 win with 24 big points on efficient 10-of-17 shooting from the field.

From trailing by a deuce, the Thunder smacked the Lakers flat-out cold midway through the third after going berserk with a 14-0 run led by Mitchell’s resurgence.

When the Lakers went back to blitzing Gilgeous-Alexander at the top of the key, Mitchell took matters into his own hands and used his superstar as a decoy to convert free backdoor cuts into easy layups.

Aside from his off-ball movement, Mitchell also shot efficiently from deep, burying two of his four attempts from downtown.

At the start of the fourth quarter, there was deafening silence.

The once wild and loud Crypto.com Arena suddenly had its batteries drained after the Thunder built the largest lead of the game, reaching as much as 27 points.

Replay center at its finest. Following huge turnarounds in the previous two games, Oklahoma City did it again as it sucked the life out of the Lakers with a dominant 74-49 scoring disparity in the second half.

Gilgeous-Alexander backstopped Mitchell with 23 points, nine assists, four rebounds, and two blocks, while Holmgren finished with a near double-double of 18 markers and nine boards.

Wallace wrapped up his majestic night with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while Isaiah Joe finally broke out of his slump, chipping in 12 points on four treys off the bench.

On the other hand, Hachimura paced the Lakers with a team-high 21-point effort, but James and Reaves, who combined for 54 points in Game 2, had only 19 and 17, respectively.

Can the Thunder score another series sweep with a Game 4 win? Or will the Lakers respond to the challenge and extend their chances of a dramatic comeback for the ages?