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The 2026 NBA playoffs shift into high gear as the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder prepare to battle the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Lakers in a Western Conference semifinals showdown.
The Thunder remain perfect in first-round action, pushing their record to 12-0 after a commanding sweep of the Phoenix Suns. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued to shine for the Thunder with his elite scoring, while Chet Holmgren anchored the defense and contributed clutch plays. Oklahoma City’s first-round dominant run also secured a valuable rest period ahead of the matchup with the Lakers.
The Lakers advanced to the second round after a 4-2 series victory over the Houston Rockets. With Luka Doncic sidelined by a Grade 2 hamstring strain, LeBron James continued to show up for the Lakers, including a standout performance in Game 6 with 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Austin Reaves, returning from an oblique injury, also made a major impact, providing crucial offensive contributions when the Lakers needed them most. This marks Los Angeles’s first trip to the second round since 2023, and the team remains optimistic that Doncic could rejoin the lineup if their postseason run continues.
Here’s what you need to know as the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the second round of the NBA playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder predictions
USA TODAY Sports: Majority pick Thunder
- Lorenzo Reyes: Thunder in 5
- Scooby Axson: Thunder in 5
- Mark Giannotto: Thunder in 5
- James H. Williams: Thunder in 5
- Marcus D. Smith: Lakers in 7
- Andrés Soto: Thunder in 6
The Oklahoman: Thunder is better
Justin Martinez writes: "Just look at how the regular-season meetings between OKC and Los Angeles went. The Thunder is clearly better, and the Lakers have even less of a chance of making this a competitive series with Dončić's availability up in the air. In my eyes, OKC gets the clean sweep in this matchup breakdown."
The Athletic: Majority pick OKC
- Joel Lorenzi: Thunder in 5
- Doug Haller: Thunder 5
- Dan Woike: Thunder in 6
- William Guillory: Thunder in 5
ESPN: Oklahoma City Thunder
- Stephen A. Smith: Thunder
- Kendrick Perkins: Thunder
- Quentin Richardson: Thunder
